Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
by CJzilla
Summary: Sequal to Luna Negra. A year after La Cortina and the Titanium Titan's attack, the Riveras fear their return. La Cortina and the Titan want revenge and to break Miracle City from the inside out. Will Manny and his family realize this too late?
1. Noche Tras Noche

Hola everyone from Japan to Mexico City! CJzilla's BACK! Did ya miss me?! I know you did! So I'm shelling out another El Tigre fic! My very FIRST sequal. Awesome!

Synopsis: A year after La Cortina's attack and her escape with the Titanium Titan, the Rivera family is still shaken. They fear her return so much that it consumes most of their thought. Especially Manny. The Riveras are crumbling, falling apart at the seams but little do they know that they are under attack from La Cortina. With the aid of the Titanium Titan, the shadowy villainess aimes to break the Riveras at every possible angle, including from the inside out. Will Manny, Rodolfo, Grandpapi and Frida realize what is happening before all that they love is gone forever?

As I terrorize this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me... hate on me... you know how I roll.

AN: CJzilla owns nothing of El Tigre. I do own my OC, the mayhem and mischief and your reviews.

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**Singing Winds, Crying Beasts**

Chapter 1

_Noche Tras Noche_

Pigeons flew over Miracle City, spreading open their wings and shaking their ruffled feathers from a rainy night. Among puddles of freshly fallen rain, the sun's reflection glimmered and chased away the thunderous night.

Manny Rivera felt the heat of the morning seep into his room. Turning in his sleep, the thirteen-year-old boy began to slowly come into consciousness. The morning sun shone into his window and licked him in the face. Manny's big brown eyes fluttered open.

Wow. It felt like it was going to be hot today. You could feel it in the sun's light. That wasn't going to make school any easier. Manny had a long seven hour day in close company with other hot kids jammed in a classroom with nothing but a window for air conditioning to look forward to. A classroom full of sweaty, disgusting, stinky kids… _SCHOOL_!

Manny rolled so hard in his bed, the blankets tangled around him. The thirteen-year-old's eyes came to his electronic clock. _8:15_!

"Santo Basuar!" Manny cried and went to jump out of bed. The blankets were firmly twisted around his feet and he fell flat on his face.

Groaning and kicking the blankets off of his feet, Manny was SO late for school. Scrambling to tear off his Queso Fantastico pajamas, the boy floundered with his school clothes. Shirt on but pants and belt halfway up, the boy opened his room's door and hopped out into the hallway.

Finally getting his pants and belt buckled, Manny tripped into the living room. Rolling into the middle of the floor, he was surprised when he saw his father and grandfather enjoying their coffee and morning newspaper. Grandpapi and Rodolfo Rivera were just as surprised to see Manny as he was with them.

"Oye! It's eight! I'm late for school!" Manny threw his arms in the air, glancing between his family's newspapers and his family. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"

Rodolfo and Grandpapi glanced at each other. They then looked back at Manny with entertained smiles.

"Manny! You're always joking!" Rodolfo laughed at his thirteen-year-old son. "And such a good joker too! Manny really looks like he doesn't know what today is!"

Grandpapi laughed with his son.

"Ch'es! Manny is de clown! Look at dat stupid look on his face like he doesn't know what's going on!" The naughty elderly man pointed at Manny's face.

Manny stood there as confused and silent as ever. Rodolfo and Grandpapi's laughter died down when they saw that the boy wasn't kidding.

"Qué? Manny… chu is serious?" Grandpapi blinked.

"You guys are talking nuttier than usual." The teen responded before he threw his arms in the air. "For the love of Santa Salsa… tell me what's going on!"

The thirteen-year-old boy got weird looks from his family.

"You have no idea why we let you sleep in?" Rodolfo questioned.

"No." Manny answered.

"No clue why I stayed him from work?" The man added.

"No." Manny returned.

Grandpapi slapped his forehead.

"Today is a very especial day, Manny… A _Tues_day. As in on of t'ose t'ing chu don't forget easily…?" The elderly man hinted, gesturing expressively.

Still nothing from the thirteen-year-old. The old man groaned.

"Just tell him Rodolfo. We be here all day." Grandpapi moped; Manny's obliviousness taking all the fun out of this.

Rodolfo tossed his naughty father a quick glare and then looked back at Manny.

"TODAY IS DÍA DE LOS BIBLIOTECARIOS!" He cheered, jumping up from his chair.

Then it hit Manny and a smile exploded onto his face.

"NO KIDDING?!" The boy squealed loudly. Rodolfo pulled a pocket calendar from his suit's pocket and opened it.

Grandpapi hopped off of the couch and skittered up to his son and grandson. Rodolfo flicked open the calendar to the month of August and under the kitten picture was a Tuesday circled in a big red marker. It was true! Today was Dia de los Bibliotecarios one of THE most looked forward to days of the year!

"Hooray for obscure political holidays!" The thirteen-year-old boy cheered. "No school! No work! Nothing but goofing off!"

Flicking close his calendar Rodolfo put it back in his pocket.

"He got it! You can come out now!" The man called into the air. Manny gave his father a crazy look before he heard the coat closet open.

Out tumbled his best friend Frida Suárez. Tangled in coats and feet inside random rain boots Frida stood.

"Whew! Dude! I thought you'd _never_ get it!" The thirteen-year-old girl with blue hair and goggles scolded her best friend. Unzipping a big wool coat that she had tripped into, Frida raced over to her friend. "Are you STOKED for a day of awesome goofing off?!"

Manny threw his hands in the air.

"Totally! I've been planning for this day for three long months!" The thirteen-year-old pumped a fist.

"As have I, son!" Rodolfo cheered flexing his muscles under that tight suit-coat. "We have superheroing in Calavera today!"

"And pranking de supervillains with mes!" Grandpapi cheered.

"Let's not forget the super macho day at the beach!" Frida did a happy dance. "Sun, sand and all the street-side venders! CHURROS!"

Manny nearly exploded.

"Spending the day with my entire familia!" Manny put his arms around his father, grandfather and best friend. "This is gonna be AWESOME! Can anything get better than this?!"

Without warning the moment was shattered when half of the Rivera Hacienda exploded, sending everyone to the ground. A wave of dust and debris clouded their vision as the house moaned with the sudden blast. Manny had scarcely a moment to cough when he was on his feet.

"What was-…" But his words left him as he beheld the attacker. There, where the door and half the house used to be was a familiar but far from welcomed face.

A living black shadow with wicked purple eyes looked to the thirteen-year-old boy and sent heart-stopping terror to his body.

"La-… La Cortina…!" Manny breathed, his voice pinched tight with panic. The boy swung his head around to his family. "It's LA CORTINA! On your feet-!"

The boy felt the air around his body grow cold before he saw one of La Cortina's black ribbon-like tentacles fly over his shoulder. Manny couldn't react fast enough and all he could do is watch as the shadow-monster's ribbon hit his best friend. Frida gave a surprised yelp as the tentacle punctured her chest and yanked her into the air. The thirteen-year-old girl pawed at the tentacle inside her body, tearing at the shadow with her nails and kicking frantically.

"M-MANNY!" Frida shouted. In the second after she screamed his name, La Cortina's tentacle pulsed.

The girl's essence was cruelly robbed, and without her soul's energy her body went limp. Frida's essence was gone and with a spiteful flick of the tentacle, the shadow monster tossed the girl's useless body across the room.

"Frida!" Manny cried, but his feet would not move; his body was frozen and useless.

The boy turned and saw that another of La Cortina's black ribbons had stabbed Grandpapi. Manny watched his aged grandfather grasp the tentacle with his hands and tried to pull it out of his chest, giving much of the same fight that Frida had done. Grandpapi dug his heels into the carpet, trying to pull away; no use. The shadow's tentacle quivered. Grandpapi's essence was gone and his body collapsed to the floor.

Manny spun his belt buckle to summon his item's mystical energy to defend his family from this shadowy beast. But as it spun, nothing happened. His El Tigre power never came. Manny was helpless to stop La Cortina's tentacle that was speeding toward his father.

Rodolfo dodged the tentacle's first strike. Rolling in front of his one and only son, the man looked at the thirteen-year-old boy, his brave face marred by fear.

"Manny! _RUN_!" Rodolfo cried pushing his son toward the back of the house with his hand. But as those words left his mouth, a tentacle flew through the man's chest and dropped him to the floor.

Rodolfo let out a panicked and pained grunt as the shadowy tentacle slipped deeper and deeper into this body. Finally the ribbon of darkness pulsated and Rodolfo fell still. As the tentacle released its icy grip on his father, Manny saw what he had feared so badly it nearly drove him to insanity. His father's eyes were nightmarish and unearthly white.

"**PAPA**!" The feeling of losing his dearly loved father felt like a knife had been driven through his throat and twisted.

There was no time to grieve as La Cortina's final tentacle hit Manny square in the chest. Immediately the boy felt cold and weak as the shadow monster began draining his essence. Looking up with the last bit of strength he had, Manny locked eyes with his family's greatest enemy. Thoroughly evil eyes looked back at him and his world went instantly black.

Manny's brown eyes flew open as he woke up with a gasp. Sitting up in his bed, the young Rivera boy felt fear still racing through his body. He frantically looked around his dark room, hoping to see something familiar that would comfort him. He saw his dresser, nightlight, alarm-clock, closet and school clothes draped over the chair of his desk.

_It was just a dream... Just a nightmare. Nothing to be-_

Just then a flash of lightning lit up his room as a deafening blast of thunder shook the windows. Fear once again pinched shut his throat and Manny did what any child would do. Flying out of bed, he snatched his El Tigre belt and flew out the door. While throwing his enchanted El Tigre belt buckle around his waist, the boy ran toward his father's room.

"Papa!" Rodolfo was jolted from sleep when he heard his name. The man sat up in his bed, his tired and shaken eyes opening immediately.

From his doorway he saw a tiny figure run to him. Rodolfo scarcely had time to swing his legs over the bed when he was nearly tackled by his son. Manny held him so tight and that's when he realized that the boy was trembling, quietly crying into his wife-beater.

"Manny! Mi hijo, what is it?" Rodolfo questioned, tensing like any parent would.

Manny's face was in his chest and he was not able to say a word. The man wrapped his strong and loving arms around his tiny son.

"It's all right. I'm here. Nothing will happen." Rodolfo told his distressed son. Sighing when he saw his beloved only son so upset, he hugged many tight to reassure he was safe.

Manny held onto his father, unable to stop the tears from falling out of his eyes. It wasn't until he heard Rodolfo's heart beat and feel his chest rise with breath that he knew he was safe.

"It was La Cortina, papi… She got you." The boy whispered. "She got you, Grandpapi and Frida and I could not stop her."

Rodolfo's eyes snapped open as he stiffened. Another nightmare. As of late, he, Grandpapi and Manny were having many awful nightmares of the shadowy-villainess who nearly wiped out all of Miracle City. La Cortina took all the essences of Miracle City's supervillains and became nearly unstoppable. But she was no ordinary supervillain; Alejandra Marengo, or what La Cortina once was, was supremely wicked; she was once Rodolfo's biggest fan turned twisted supervillainess. Alejandra betrayed his trust and nearly killed his family.

"Do not fear, my son. It was just a dream." Rodolfo rested his cheek on his son's head. "We're still here. La Cortina will not harm you."

Manny opened his wet brown eyes, still holding his father close. His arm ached with the memory of being broken by La Cortina's hands. The nightmare was gone but fear remained; it had been inside the back of his mind ever since La Cortina and the Titanium Titan escaped prison. They had sworn their revenge on him as well as his family.

"La Cortina and the Titanium Titan are still out there, papa… She'll get you again!" Manny's eyes flooded with tears. "I can't lose you again, dad! I can't!"

Shaking, the boy hugged his father tight as his tears soaked the man's shirt. Rodolfo gulped. Anxiety set in again, anxiety that had been festering inside of him ever since Alejandra escaped with the Titanium Titan. Together the two embittered and warped villains made a super-team that brought Miracle City to its knees. It was only a matter of time before both returned to finish what they had started.

"It will be all right, my son. La Cortina will not come." Rodolfo said in his most comforting and most sincere voice. Truth was, he didn't even believe himself.

Holding his dear son close, Rodolfo heard the angry rainstorm rattle the house with a loud roll of thunder. He prayed that morning would come soon and that La Cortina would never harm his family again.

Alejandra's eyes opened. Miles from Miracle City, the same blast of thunder echoed through the town of Calavera. A midnight rain was falling on the dusty streets, making even a criminally active town quiet.

Thirty-year-old Alejandra Marengo tilted her head back, listening to the rain fall outside a nearby window. The curvy woman smiled, her purple eyes examining a crack on the adobe ceiling. The Riveras still fear her. They still quaked when they had just a simple nightmare about her. And even though Alejandra caused and orchestrated those nightmares, she took wicked satisfaction in the crippling fear the Riveras would feel at the mention of her name.

Alejandra blinked again and glanced across the dingy Calavera apartment. It wasn't much and certainly not the place you'd expect to find two super-dangerous supervillains living. A modest kitchen, bathroom, living-room/bedroom and window; nothing extravagant. Alejandra couldn't be happier since she shared this apartment with her soul mate.

Looking over to the window, she saw the Titanium Titan meditating on the floor by candle light, face straight and body poised in lotus position.

Alejandra got out of her squeaky whicker chair and walked to her sweetheart. Careful to not light her shadowy black dress on fire by dragging it over the Titan's candles, she stepped over the flames. The woman sat down dangerously close to the man and giggled.

"Do you know how cute you look right now?" Alejandra questioned the Titanium Titan, leaning against him.

The Titan's lips curved into a grin and he relaxed. As he snaked a liquid metal arm around Alejandra's curvy waist, he opened his eyes.

"Tormenting the Riveras again, Alejandra?" His red eyes met her purple ones.

Alejandra smiled, holding in a goofy laugh.

"Sí. I gave Manny another bad dream." She responded and tickled the Titan's chin.

The Titan gave a dirty, evil grin and pulled the woman into his lap.

"So… does this mean… we make our move?" He questioned hopefully. Alejandra smiled and let her touch fall to his neck, shoulder and chest before she nodded.

"It's been a year. I think the Riveras are comfortable enough to lose everything." She answered, a casual smile on her face that reflected how passive she was about dishing out torture.

The Titanium Titan smiled wide.

"Bueno." He gave a nod, a sadistic and excited smile coming to his face.

Alejandra looped her arms around her lover's neck.

"You know… talking about all this venganza puts me in a romantic mood, Titan." She flirted.

Chuckling, the man nodded.

"Me too, mi amore." The Titan smiled pressing his forehead to hers. Alejandra giggled as she kissed him.

The Titan pulled his lover into a deep kiss as one of Alejandra's shadow tentacles snuffed the candles in the room.

Lighting flashed outside of the window, lighting up Miracle City in the distance. The city would fall, one superhero, one supervillain and one civilian at a time.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	2. Mala Luna Creciente

Hola everyone! CJzilla here with a very long awaited update. Sorry; I really had to fight this to get it perfect. In this chapter the Titanium Titan and La Cortina put their carefully weaved plan into action.

As I smash this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... hate... review.

_eltigre221: Sorry for the long wait. I had to get it perfect._

_Amaris Solbes de la Vega: Here's an update. I'm not giving any spoilers._

_Moranofchaos2: Sorry about the wait... thanks for making me one of your favorite authors. It's an honor._

_CardcaptorKatara: I'm totally envious of the unconditional love in Manny's family._

_soleil: Thank you. I've been busy with the second chapter for about a week and a half now. Enjoy._

_acosta perez jose ramiro: That "basura" thingy was an honest misspelling. My bad and I'll correct it. You've got Black Cuervo and Dr. Chipotle Jr. on your brain lately. It's kinda funny... I'd be lying if I say they aren't going to be major characters in my sequal._

_KingOfTheLab: Just for you... donuts will rain from the sky!_

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Chapter 2

_Mala Luna Creciente_

The summer months of Miracle City were always hot. The sweltering sun pounded the city with heat way before it was high in the sky. Even at seven-forty-five in the morning, the streets were hot enough to cook breakfast on. Would you like a fresh sidewalk tortilla with you pavement eggs and asphalt chorizo?

For Manny Rivera, the heat made a sour night and early morning worse. Even walking to school with his best friend Frida Suárez wasn't as enjoyable as it should be. The bubbly thirteen-year-old rocker girl noted that her best friend looked haggard.

"Gee, dude. You look like you ran a triathlon, climbed Mount Tortura, shaved El Oso's back and beaten with a chicken! Why do you look like you were beaten with a chicken?" Frida set her hands on her hips. Manny turned his sleepy eyes to his friend, a grin on his face.

"Beaten with a chicken?" Manny repeated, quirking a brow. "Frida, did you have one too many cinnamon churros this morning?"

The girl scoffed, took her hands off her backpack straps and threw them in the air.

"You know what I mean! Even on your _worse_ days, when you've pulled an all-night party and beaten up by _all_ the supervillains in Miracle City, you don't look _this_ bad!" Frida gestured at the dark, dark circles under his eyes, the wrinkly, still-in-bed face and slouched appearance. The thirteen-year-old boy rolled his tired eyes.

"I look like a wreck. Gee, _thanks_ for the compliment, Frida." Manny sighed and closed his eyes for a second. It felt good to close his eyes since he hadn't slept all night.

Then he was abruptly yanked out of his almost-asleep state when he walked into an open sewer and did a face-plant into its contents. Frida didn't know her friend had fallen asleep while walking, wandered out into the street and into an open manhole marked as a construction site. But then she heard a disgusted scream from her best buddy. Stopping from walking, the thirteen-year-old girl blinked and walked over to the open manhole.

"Okay. This has gone on for weeks, dude. Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Frida flinched at the disgusting stench wafting up from the sewer. From inside the gutter she heard Manny ground loudly.

"I-… I keep having these… dreams." The boy confessed. Frida hummed in acknowledgement. "Well, not dreams… more like nightmares. I haven't had a decent night's sleep in months."

Finally the boy climbed out of the sewer, smelling like monster spit and dog poo. Frida sipped back to the sidewalk, giving her smelly best friend a wide berth.

"And?" She called from ten yards away. Manny rolled his eyes and squeezed some of the sewer drainage out of his shirt.

"And in them… La Cortina comes back and… you and my family…" He trailed off, looking at the ground replaying the dozens of nightmares he's had. Frida fell totally silent.

Yes, she remembered La Cortina and the Titanium Titan. Alejandra Marengo nearly wasted her; sometimes she could almost feel that icy black tentacle in her chest. Frida also remembered that both she and Manny defeated the shadow villainess and her twisted love/partnership with the Titanium Titan.

"It's been a year, yeah? La Cortina and the Titan have probably moved on. Forget about them." Frida called to her friend. Manny made a face at her.

Forgetting La Cortina and the Titanium Titan? How could he forget his family's greatest and most powerful enemies? He knew they were still out there, waiting to attack and to take away everything and everyone he'd ever cared about.

Just then a tall, lanky man with a black hoodie and purse in his hands raced by the two kids, pushing Frida to the side. Soon after, a police car raced down the street. Manny smiled. Finally. A thug he could easily capture and get his mind off of La Cortina and the Titanium Titan.

"I got this!" Manny waved at Frida before he spun his belt buckle. In a wave of mystic green incandescence, a tiger yowl was heard. "EL TIGRE!"

Manny Rivera suddenly became the super-powered El Tigre, a tiger-based super powerful, super brave, super macho _superhero_! Slashing the air with his iron claws, El Tigre smirked.

"Piece of cake." He watched the gangly thief run down the sidewalk. Shooting his Tigre claws to the nearest street light, the teen super swung after the bandito.

Flying over the streets and cop car, much to the surprise of the police, Manny placed his heels together as he aimed to tackle the purse-snatching thief. The boy hit the man dead-on and he hit the sidewalk so hard, he left part of his face on the cement. In an instant, El Tigre had the thief by the front of his shirt with one hand and balled a fist with the other. He relished the look of absolute surprise on the criminal's face.

"Drop the goods and I'll let you walk into the cop car-" The teen smiled but he was suddenly cut off.

"HELP! Help! I'm being MUGGED!" The man called into the air struggling under the boy's super-grip, a terrified look in his eyes. Manny blinked.

_What in the-?_

Then the cop car screeched to a halt. Both officers hopped out of their car and pointed their weapons at the teen hero.

"Freeze! Hands UP!" Manny looked up and smiled.

"Don't worry, officers; I got this!" The teen beamed, but he was met with a scalding reprimand.

"I said HANDS _UP_, El Tigre! NO sudden moves!" The police officers barked. Manny blinked again.

"But-! He's a thief!" The teen held up the guy's purse. "He's running with a purse!"

The man in his clutches growled loudly.

"This is my wife's! She left it and her inhaler at home! She's having a massive allergic reaction and needs her medicine RIGHT AWAY!" Popping open the purse, the man held up a medical inhaler.

Manny promptly dropped the man, green eyes wide.

"Sorry! I didn't know!" In that same second, he felt handcuffs slapped over his wrists. "Hey! What gives?!"

"You're coming with us, delinquent!" The two officers moved Manny toward the waiting cop car. The boy struggled a little.

"WHAT?! This is a BIG misunderstanding!" El Tigre objected.

The officers scoffed.

"How many times have we heard that one, Officer Sanchez?" The one cop asked his partner as he slammed Manny on the hood of their car.

"Hundreds. Chief Suárez is gonna love you!" Manny's face paled as it was plastered on the cold steel of the cop car. Chief Suárez was Frida's father and it was NO secret that Manny wasn't his favorite person in the world.

Just then Frida came running across the street.

"Hey! What are you doing?" The thirteen-year-old girl questioned, hands in the air. The officers glared at Frida.

"Making an arrest on this miniature menace to society." Officer Sanchez grabbed Manny's belt and yanked the buckle from the leather. The thirteen-year-old's El Tigre form disintegrated in a puff of green light. "There. No more supernatural powers for you."

"HEY!" Manny fumed. "That's a priceless family heirloom!"

The officer's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"This is a dangerous weapon in the hands of irresponsible riff-raff." He held it securely in his hand. Then the officer felt the little thirteen-year-old girl grab at the mystical belt buckle.

"You don't know what you're doing! He's innocent!" Frida growled with strain as she fought to get the man's fist off of Manny's belt buckle. "That's Manny's! Give it back!"

Officer Sanchez snatched Frida by the back of her shirt.

"So! _Two_ delinquents!" The man growled, taking out his set of handcuffs from his holster. "Resisting and assaulting an officer! You're coming downtown too niña!"

Slamming Frida on the hood of their police car, Officer Sanchez handcuffed the girl. Manny turned his head and saw the angry and bewildered look on Frida's face. Just then he heard Leone Middle School's first period bell ring. They were late for school and arrested. What could make this morning any worse?

The man with the purse watched from an alleyway half a block from the scene as the two thirteen-year-old children were thrown into the back of the cop car. The police vehicle passed with wailing sirens, rushing for the police station with the two children's angry and thunderstruck faces clearly seen through the windows. The man smiled before slinking unseen into the alleyway. Standing into the farthest corner of the lonely backstreet, the man threw back his head and gave a loud villainous laugh as his shape began to melt. The form of La Cortina appeared as her black costume re-assimilated her disguise.

Alejandra Marengo laughed as the costume retreated off of her face, showing a twisted smile and purple eyes shining with pure evil. She dropped the truly stolen purse to the ground and broke the medical inhaler under her heel. Just minuets earlier, she'd taken the essence of the asthmatic woman so she had no use for the inhaler. Alejandra's little show was real enough to frame El Tigre and ripple to his female friend. That made her smile widen. It was just luck that the policia car was cruising by. Now Manny Rivera and Frida Suárez were now in police custody.

The first carefully planned step was complete. Let's see how long the Rivera family could withstand disappointment, distrust and a little dark manipulation. With a thought, Alejandra Marengo teleported away.

Manny Rivera sighed as he scratched his nose. The thirteen-year-old was sitting in a chair, his hands behind his head and feet up on the single wooden table in this sterile room. He felt… strangely numb. The windowless room he was in had a wet, moldy smell. Maybe that was because of all the interrogations Chief Suárez gave in here. When the man would yell, the moisture from his overused but never tired voice-box always made Manny squirm.

So far, this whole misunderstanding looked pretty incriminating. If he was Chief Suárez, Manny would believe he was trying to mug that man. It was a good thing that Frida saw the whole thing. She would totally back him up.

Manny looked down at his waist. His El Tigre belt had been "confiscated". The boy hated to be away from his beloved item of mystical power. Especially now. He would be powerless to stop any baddie that might feel like starting some trouble.

Just then the door to the stale room opened. Manny dropped his feet from the table and couldn't take his eyes off of the opening door. He saw Policia Chief Suárez walk into the room, that special scowl on his face that he only reserved for the thirteen-year-old friend of his daughter. Quietly stepping sideways, the man shut the door behind him and folded his hands neatly behind his back, his only dark blue eye narrowed at Manny.

Manny was silently sweating as he sat rigid in his seat. There was something about Frida's father that made him want to confess to every bad, naughty and/or indecent act he'd ever done. Chief Suárez was especially protective of Frida which would be bad news for any boy that would attempt to date her… _not_ that Manny thought about dating his best friend…

The thoughts in his head made the thirteen-year-old sweat more and when Chief Suárez approached the table, Manny was a hair away from spilling his guts.

"You care to tell me what happened, Rivera?" The man spoke, his voice authoritative and aggressive, able to crack even the hardest of criminals. Manny stood no chance.

"Me and Frida were walking to school." The boy began, trying to keep his voice from getting high with nervousness. "I was telling Frida about a bad dream I had last night when I fell asleep on my feet and walked into an open sewer!"

Emiliano Suárez could tell the Rivera boy was nervous and blubbering on with useless details. His mouth creased with a deep, annoyed frown and that made Manny even more nervous.

"We were just about to school when this hombre with a purse and black hoodie came running between us, almost knocking Frida down!" The thirteen-year-old boy hopped out of his seat and started reenacting the events from just thirty minuets ago. "I turned into El Tigre and tackled the ladrón! I was about to beat the candy out of him when he screamed that I was mugging him! Then those two officers came, handcuffed me, took my belt and rubbed my face on their carro! Frida tried to tell them that I was innocent but they arrested her too! And now I'm here in this room that smells like _mushrooms_ and I'd really like to just get outta here!"

Manny took a breath and flopped back down in his chair.

"And that's my story, Jefe." The teen looked up at the steely man with big, innocent brown eyes.

Chief Emiliano Suárez frown remained as he began to quietly pace in front of the table Manny was seated at. The boy was telling the truth and his story was verified by Frida, whom he interviewed in a much less intense session; with a couple churros and a horchata got him all the answers he wanted. The Rivera boy had always been a thorn in his side. Emiliano blamed the little delinquent for all the trouble and sometimes injuries that Frida sustained. He wasn't about to let an opportunity like this to slip out of his hands.

"So this was all just a big misunderstanding, correcto Rivera?" Chief Suárez questioned, turning to the boy with unyielding fire in his single eye. "You were doing just what comes naturally when you see a shifty looking character run down the street with a fully-loaded purse?"

Manny nodded with a funny and confused look on his face at the chief's choice of words.

"And you mean to tell me that you've never used your El Tigre powers to take advantage of someone less powerful than you?" The police chief went on. "How am I supposed to believe you were _just_ innocently in the wrong situation at the wrong time?"

"Wait a minuet-!" Manny stood from his chair. Chief Suárez kept on with his interrogation.

"What I think happened is that you saw this man walk past with a purse of money in his hands." Emiliano cut the boy off. "And you couldn't stop your criminal impulse. You used your El Tigre powers to overwhelm him and you were just about to take the purse when Officers Sanchez and Ramirez caught you."

Manny slammed his hands on the table.

"No! Jefe, I thought he STOLE that purse!" The boy nearly yelled. "I mean, c'mon! A man with a purse… and in a hoodie! In THIS hot weather! I didn't know! I didn't know that man's wife was sick and that she needed her inhaler that was in that purse! I bet if you saw that happen, you would have done the same thing that I did!"

Chief Suárez's eye narrowed dangerously.

"Don't insult me niño." The man hissed, bracing his hands on the table and leaning forward. "I am no thirteen-year-old punk with a powerful mystical object that I abuse. Your irresponsible parents let you roam unsupervised causing trouble and chaos across the city! I fear that if your bad course does not change soon… you will force me to lock you up and throw away the key. You are selfish and short-sighted and that is a path that Frida cannot follow you down."

The man's words burned, seared in fact. Manny's face fell to a dark, angry expression as he closed up. Once he saw his words had sunk into the boy's head, Chief Suárez stood and straightened his jacket.

"Your story checks out, Rivera." He admitted. "With Frida's reliable third-person testimony, I have no other reason to keep you here at the station. Your father will be here shortly to pick you up."

Manny's eyes widened.

"Dad? Why'd you call him?!" The teen jumped out of his seat again.

"He is your legal guardian, yes?" Chief Suárez returned a caustic look on his face. "It is standard police procedure to call a delinquent's parent or legal guardian."

The thirteen-year-old boy bit down on his bottom lip. Calling dad meant that Rodolfo had to break off of work to come to the police station to pick his up his only son when he should be at school! Manny face-palmed. Yes… yes this morning could get worse.

"Coming, Rivera?" He heard Chief Suarez call to him from the doorway. "You need to pick you your El Tigre belt and your backpack before you leave."

Moving out from behind the table, the boy walked to the door, head bowed and uncharacteristically silent.

Walking out into the police station's lobby, Manny grabbed his stuff from the counter. Putting his El Tigre buckle back onto his belt, he felt a little shred of the good luck fall back into place.

"Manny! Over here!" He heard Frida's voice. Looking up, the thirteen-year-old saw his best friend waving at him with a big smile and two churros in one hand.

He smiled and walked toward her. Frida hopped off of her chair and ran to him.

"Here you go, buddy." She handed him a churro. "How'd it go? You seem a little quiet."

Her father's scalding words were still ringing in his head. Manny put on his best smile and waved off the gut-wrenching feeling inside him.

"Aw! It went easy! Your dad's just a big softie!" He scoffed. "I told him the truth and he caved like a tower of cards!"

Looking back at the main counter, Manny saw Chief Suárez standing there, giving him the stink-eye. Then he drug his finger across his throat with a spiteful scowl on his face. Manny shuttered and turned back to his oblivious friend who was happily eating her churro.

"Your dad's supposed to pick us up!" Frida chirped. "Hey, maybe on the way back to school, we can talk him into dropping us off outside the comic book store! We just gotta somehow associate comic books with some random school assignment."

Manny gave an uneasy chuckle.

"Uh… sure. Can't wait to… lie to my dad." He gave a fake smile. Just then the door to the police station burst open, revealing one very cheesed off Rodolfo Rivera. "Oh… no…"

Even the cops cowered before the angry alter-ego of White Pantera. If smoke could come out of Rodolfo's nose, it would have.

"_Manuel_… Pablo… Gutierrez…-" The man hissed with the rage of a terrorizing monster ten-times his size. Manny held up his hands defensively.

"Wait! I can explain papa!" But Rodolfo gave no room for his son's explanation. He held up his hand, grabbed his son like a football and turned back to the door.

"Frida… Are you coming?" The usually outgoing, charismatic and bubbly man sounded angry enough to snap bricks with his bare hands.

"Right behind you Mr. Rivera!" Frida zipped out the door way before Rodolfo did. She ran to the nearest car and hopped into it like she was in the middle of a special forces training course.

Rodolfo, with Manny under his arm walked over to Frida and tapped on the window.

"Frida… My car is right over there." He said.

Frida jumped out of the car, screaming like she'd lost her mind and ran over to their car. Sighing, the super-macho superhero father followed the spazzing out girl. Rodolfo set his son in the passenger seat, buckled him in and drove toward the Leone Middle School.

Pulling up to the entrance of the middle school, Rodolfo unlocked the doors.

"Enjoy school, Frida. We will see you afterwards." He stated unexcitedly. Frida hopped out of the vehicle with a curious look on her face.

Without allowing a wave to the bewildered Frida Suárez or for his son to hop out of the car, Rodolfo pulled back into the road. Manny studied his father.

"Papa… I-" Manny watched his father's hand come to his face and rub his tired eyes. He felt even more guilt.

Manny wished he could read his father's mind for his exact words.

"You've had a busy morning, my son." Rodolfo's tired face was soft toward his son. The boy's throat was being pinched shut by his guilt.

"I'm sorry, papa." He looked down to his lap. "This whole morning has been a big misunderstanding. I never-"

"It's all right, Manny." He heard his father tell him. Manny looked up with wide eyes.

His on his father's face was a sympathetic smile.

"It's all right." Rodolfo repeated. "You've had a rough few months. It's about time other people understand that."

Manny gave a grin, thankful that his father believed him.

"Yeah… It's been nuts. Even with Frida… I'm going loco." The boy candidly admitted.

"I know. I myself have not had a full night of sleep for months and Grandpapi is so grumpy because he can't sleep that he's even more evil than usual." Rodolfo cleared his throat as he remembered the coffee pot the retired supervillain threw out the kitchen window this morning. "I feel as though our family deserves a rest. You know of Día de los Bibliotecarios?"

Manny scoffed loudly.

"It's only one of the most expected days of the year! EVERYONE'S looking forward to Día de los Bibliotecarios!" The thirteen-year-old cheered. Rodolfo smiled at his son.

"Well, we should plan something for that day! The walls of our Hacienda are closing in." The man returned his eyes to the road. Manny beamed.

"Oh yeah! What about a-!" WHAM! Rodolfo slammed the breaks and Manny's face hit the window.

Not having two seconds to realize how much pain his face was in, the boy was yanked out of his seat by his father as the man dove out of his door. Manny felt his father tumbled before he heard the shriek of mangled metal and the pop of glass shattering under a great force.

Rodolfo rolled with his son in his arms as the Alebrije Monster's foot crushed their car. The man curled over his son as glass burst in every direction. Taking Manny in his arms, Rodolfo darted to his feet and with the help of his Bronze Boots of Truth he made it to a safe distance before the towering creature could attack again. The supermacho superhero dodged cars and toppling buildings as he finally came to safety three blocks down.

"Are you all right mi hijo?" Rodolfo questioned, letting his son to his feet. When he saw Manny's nose was red and throbbing, he gulped.

"I'm bueno, I'm bueno." The thirteen-year-old blinked the tears out of his eyes. Spitting, the boy looked up at his father. "It looks like we have some morning monsturo control to do, papi."

A smile came to Rodolfo's face.

"Right!" He remarked before stancing and ripping his grey suit off of him. Puffing out his chest, Rodolfo Rivera became: "White Pantera!"

Manny chuckled evilly as he gripped his belt buckle and spun it. In a flash of green glow and a tiger's roar, Manny Rivera became:

"El Tigre!" Manny exposed his metal claws and looked at the giant Alebrije Monster with a big smirk. "Let's fry this pescado!"

El Tigre laughed before blasting his claw to a street light and swinging toward the fishy monster. Laughing with his son the superhero speeder, atop his Bronze Boots of Truth zipped toward the terrorizing Alebrije Monster.

The Alebrije Monster had its mouth over one of the nearby buildings giving the structure a liberal suck, freaking out the people still inside it. The towering creature was about to sink its curved teeth into the building, chewing and then swallowing when something hit it from behind. Rearing with the stroke, the monster's maw cleared the building. Spinning, a new rage in its eyes, the Alebrije Monster saw its attackers. White Pantera picked up a manhole cover and flung it. The metal disc flew through the air and hit the monster in the eye. Enraged and partially blinded, the creature lashed out with its tentacles, trying to get a hold on the superhero.

People taking shelter in an alleyway peeked around buildings to watch Miracle City's premier superhero family take down the Alebrije Monster. They observed White Pantera fearlessly keep the monster's attention as El Tigre snuck behind the creature.

"Asombroso!" One man awed as he peeked out from behind a building corner. The giant creature raged in frustration as it couldn't get its slimy tentacles on the Riveras. "White Pantera is supermacho!"

"There dey are! Saving Miracle City otra vez!" A woman watched as White Pantera kept the frustrated monster at bay by keeping it angry.

An elderly and kindly woman named Mrs. Chichita smiled.

"It makes me sleep better at noche knowing dat héroes like White Pantera and Mannito patrulla de city!" The old woman beamed. "Día tres día, dey save us and keep de city sergo!"

As she admired the two heroes, Mrs. Chichita didn't even realize the air had grown unusually cold around her until it was too late. Something cold and firm clapped over her mouth. The old woman writhed as she was lifted off of her feet. She caught a flash of purple eyes blazing out of the alleyway she was standing in front of before there was a blast of smoke.

La Cortina was careful that no one saw her seize the old woman. Three stories above the battlefield, the shadowy villainess reappeared with Mrs. Chichita in a dark tentacle. The old woman was disoriented from the sudden teleportation but she was fighting her abductor. Opening her eyes from behind her thick spectacles Mrs. Chichita was staring into purple, sinister eyes of a living shadow.

"Hola señora." The dark creature finally spoke. Mrs. Chichita's eyes grew wide. "I couldn't help but overhear how much you appreciate White Pantera and El Tigre."

La Cortina tightened her tentacle's grip on the woman as her purple eyes narrowed.

"Well… how would you like to help me take my venganza on them?" The old woman's fearful expression remained. "All I need you to do is just step into White Pantera's way."

Mrs. Chichita wriggled in La Cortina's grasp.

"No? Fine. We'll do this the hard way." Then another ribbon of darkness snaked over the shadow's shoulder and hovered in front of the old woman. The tentacle then passed through the elderly woman's chest.

Mrs. Chichita writhed, trying to free herself. Smiling, La Cortina pulsed her tentacle, stealing a portion of the old woman's essence. Mrs. Chichita felt her body get weak, so weak that if she wasn't suspended by the villainess's tentacle, she'd be on the ground.

"You should be happy, señora. You will be one of the first to see the Riveras come crumbling down." The shadowy villainess spoke in a soft voice. Then La Cortina turned her attention to the battle between the Riveras and the Alebrije Monster below. "Let's get into position and watch the breakdown."

In another puff of smoke, La Cortina teleported away with Mrs. Chichita in her grasp.

Four tentacles each as thick as a railroad car, sped toward White Pantera. Counting the moments in his head, the man did a back-flip just as the monstrous tentacles hit the pavement. According to plan, Manny was in position to immobilize the creature. Then El Tigre bolted out from behind a car and held the monster's tentacles to the asphalt.

"Got 'im dad!" Manny called to his father. Nodding, White Pantera turned and ran down the street.

Skidding to a stop he spun and lined up the Alebrije Monster for a massive White Pantera punt. Without hesitating, the superhero dug his feet into the pavement and flew toward the monster. Within the last few meters, White Pantera's feet left the ground. Extending his left leg, the heel of his enchanted boots was aimed for the monster's body. A kick alone from the Bronze Boots of Truth could flatten the monster, but a super-kick at Mach 5 would send the creature back into the ocean.

Manny watched his father speed toward him when the Alebrije Monster flexed its tentacles. The boy was jerked off of his feet as the creature moved; Manny could no longer hold it to the ground.

White Pantera saw the monster break Manny's grip and move out of the way. The instant that the Alebrije Monster ducked to the left Rodolfo saw Mrs. Chichita. The old woman was merely standing on the sidewalk but there was no way he could stop in time to avoid her.

Dropping his feet to the ground, Rodolfo dug his heels into the pavement. It slowed his momentum but it was not enough. White Pantera hit the old woman and both went tumbling to the ground. The superhero wrapped his arms firmly around the old woman as they rolled to a stop. Shaking the impact off, Rodolfo looked at the elderly woman in his arms. What he saw cut him to his core as he set her to the ground.

"Señora? Señora!" The woman was unconscious and probably seriously hurt. It was _all_ his fault.

El Tigre had problems of his own. The Alebrije Monster had managed to get all four tentacles wrapped around him and now he was dangled above the creature's bottomless maw. No amount of writhing could free him fast enough before he was monster food.

"DAD!" Manny called out.

Rodolfo heard his son cry to him. White Pantera saw his beloved Manny about to become lunch for the monster. Leaving the old woman that he struck, the superhero father moved to protect his son. This time the monster had its back to him and it didn't see White Pantera until it was too late.

One White Pantera punt later and the Alebrije Monster was launched off of its feet and blasted back to the ocean. The monster released Manny just as its feet left the ground. Ten stories above the street, the thirteen-year-old boy was dazed. Thankfully White Pantera bolted off of the ground and caught his son as he fell. Dropping to the street, Rodolfo let Manny onto his feet.

"Gracias papi." Manny held his head. But in a gush of wind, White Pantera was at the other end of the street.

Manny looked up and saw something that scared him. He saw his father crouched over a small form lying in the middle of the street. A crowd began to gather around White Pantera as Manny began racing toward his father. Pushing past the crowd, the thirteen-year-old hero came to his father.

"What's wrong papa?" Then El Tigre saw why there was a crowd. Mrs. Chichita was lying motionless in the street and he couldn't hold in a gasp. "Mrs. Chichita! What happened?!"

White Pantera looked up at his son with wide, fearful eyes as his mouth flapped open.

"White Pantera _killed_ her! I saw the whole thing!" A woman blasted from the crowd, tears in her eyes. She pointed a fierce finger at the superhero. "White Pantera es un _matador_!"

The gasps of the people around him were somehow muffled as Manny stared wide-eyed at his father. Rodolfo's face fell as he pinched his eyes shut. Bringing a hand to his face, the man felt the full blow of the pain he inflicted upon this innocent and dearly loved old woman.

As the horror-stuck crowd stood around the injured elderly woman, police and ambulances were quick to race to the scene. There was such a commotion about the old woman's injuries that no one saw the pair of purple eyes observing the scene from a nearby rooftop.

La Cortina watched as the old woman was hauled into an awaiting ambulance. Alejandra Marengo smiled as her costume retreated off of her face. She studied two particular people in the crowd of aghast onlookers. White Pantera and El Tigre. Even from this distance, she could tell Rodolfo was ripped apart by striking the old woman. That made Alejandra's smile broaden. It was no accident that the old woman was positioned in the superhero's path. The shadowy supervillainess made sure that the semi-conscious elderly lady would be struck by White Pantera's powerful boots.

Let the guilt fester and eat his insides. The first act to bringing the Riveras to their knees was complete, now it was up to the Titanium Titan to kick-start the second phase.

With an evil and delighted smile on her face, Alejandra's costume consumed her face. Blazing purple eyes on a blank shadowy face stood out in the noonday sun. With a thought, La Cortina teleported to City Hall.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	3. La Falsa Monedo

Hola todo el mundo! Sorry for the late, late, late update. I'm angry myself... That Total Drama Island story of mine has become a monster; sucking up my time and most of the fun outta writing... El Tigre is my first love so it's taking first place for now on.

In this chapter the Riveras are coping with their extraordinarily bad day and they aren't getting much help.

As I tear down this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

AN: I will do a "dear reviewers" next chapter.

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Chapter 3

_La Falsa Moneda_

Manny couldn't believe it and nor would he! His father would not harm one hair on anyone's head! Even when he battled supervillains, White Pantera would always limit the pummeling those well-deserving criminals needed. And now, that crowd blamed Mrs. Chichita's injuries on his father. Manny wouldn't have it; he grabbed and threatened those who accused his father of harming the sweet old lady. But it was White Pantera who asked to leave and without another word, they were home.

The thirteen-year-old boy watched his father and idol slip his mask off of his face and silently sit on one of the couches. His face was buried in his hands and there was no way Manny could see his expression.

"That… was weird, huh papi?" The boy let out a nervous laugh as he walked over to his dad. "I mean, what were those people talking about? YOU hurting someone? HA! That'll be the day!"

Rodolfo sighed loudly.

"I ran her over." The man mumbled through his hands. "I ran that innocent old woman over. It was like a bug on a windshield."

"But-! But it wasn't your fault! WHO stands out in the middle of the road during a superhero battle?!" The thirteen-year-old threw his hands in the air. "It was HER fault that she-!"

"Manny." His father's voice was soft. Rodolfo looked up at his son with brown eyes. "_I_… injured her. It doesn't matter about whose fault it is; the old woman is paying for it."

Rodolfo hung his head again. Manny's words were at a loss. He refused to accept Mrs. Chichita's injuries as his father's fault. The whole thing seemed too weird to just believe. One second, the old lady was no where in sight and then suddenly, she was in the way. But the boy knew how serious his father took his superhero responsibilities; a fluky thing like this would impact dad for a long, long time.

Just then they heard a loud yawn from the kitchen. Looking up Manny saw Grandpapi walk into the front living room with a cup of coffee in one hand and looking like he didn't sleep at all last night.

"Bueno días mi hijo, neito." The sleepy old man blinked the sleep from his eyes. Parking his wrinkly rear onto one of the couches Grandpapi caught Rodolfo's silence. "Rodolfo? Estás bien? Chu look like chus just robbed a bank."

Gradpapi laughed at his joke as Rodolfo narrowed his sleep-deprived eyes at his elderly father.

"That isn't funny, papa." The man returned and ran his hand through his once immaculate hair. That made Grandpapi stop laughing.

No matter what happened, Rodolfo was always cheerful and long-suffering to him.

"Serio, Rodolfo, what's wrong?" Grandpapi's face was straight as he set his coffee down. The man let out a frustrated grunt as he passed his hand over his eyes.

"I should have seen her. I should have looked up and watched where I was corriente!" Rodolfo's voice was growing louder and louder. "What kind of superhero runs over little old ladies? Not a good one! I shouldn't have been superheroing today! I'm too fatiga! I wasn't thinking as clearly as I should!"

With those words, the man stood and threw his mask to the floor. Grandpapi and Manny were stunned as Rodolfo sat down again. The man sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Manny frowned at his father walked to his White Pantera mask and plucked it from the floor. Walking back over to his father, the thirteen-year-old boy stood beside his major paternal figure.

"Papa, what did you tell me a year ago?" Manny questioned tightening his grip on his father's mask. Rodolfo looked up and saw that his son's eyes were steely. "Remember? When La Cortina first came here and that first night that she took Dr. Jalapeno's essence? The papers blamed me and you for what happened to that nutty scientist and what did you tell me?"

Rodolfo saw the tears coming to his son's eyes as he made a fist over the mask.

"You told me that as a superhero there are certain things you can prevent and there are others that you cannot." Manny blinked the tears out of his eyes. "You are White Pantera, known for being an honorable super-macho superhero but you are also a Rivera and Riveras never give up."

The thirteen-year-old boy offered his father his mask. Rodolfo looked between his overused White Pantera mask and the resolute and trusting look on Manny's face. A grin spread over the man's face as he took the mask from his son's hand.

"Sí, you are right, mi hijo. Riveras never give up." Rodolfo looked at the fabric face-covering in his hands and then back up at Manny. The superhero father pulled his son into a hug and held him tightly. "Gracias, Manny."

Manny hugged his father back. They were a family and any pain felt by one member was felt by all. Manny could feel his father's heart beginning to break and so the young boy knew he needed extra encouragement to banish the thoughts of failure.

Looking up Rodolfo saw his tired father sitting to the side, a slight tear in his eye.

"Come here papi." He gestured. Grandpapi got off of his couch and walked to his son and grandson.

They all shared a big hug that drew them closer. This roadblock would not be easy to conquer but the Rivera family could bear this burden… together.

Just then the phone rang, breaking apart the family moment.

"Ai. It's for de best. Dat was a very _velloso_ momento." Grandpapi complained and sat back down on his couch with his coffee. Rodolfo and Manny rolled their eyes before Rodolfowent to answer the phone.

Manny plopped down on the couch and rubbed his tired eyes. He really didn't care who called them; all he wanted was for Día De Los Bibliotecarios to get here early. That way, his family could have a day of rest and fun. As he daydreamed about the political holiday that was still about three days away, Manny didn't mean to overhear his father's telephone conversation.

"Bueno?" Rodolfo cheered on the phone. Then a silence not unlike the grave hit him. "Oh… good day Municipal President Rodriguez… Well, bien but I-… Yes… Yes… Desafortunadamente but-… Yes… Both Manny and I? …Yes… Certainly… Sí… Thank you… See you soon, sir. Goodbye."

Even Grandpapi held in a sip of his coffee to hear as Rodolfo hung up the phone. Turning around the man turned to his family with a concerned but serious look on his face.

"Manny and I are asked to City Hall… by Rodriguez." He voiced, walking to the middle of the room, spurs chiming when he walked. Manny heard Grandpapi swallow his coffee hard.

"Rodriguez? Seeing both chu an' Manny?" The old man's face was straight if a little fearful. Rodolfo saw how Manny was reacting to his father's bleak expression.

"Oh, I'm sure he just wants to congratulate us for defeating the Alebrije Monster." He swatted the air with a fake but convincing smile. "Or give us a reward. I'm sure I'm due for another one. C'mon Manny! Let's not keep Municipal President Rodriguez waiting!"

Slapping on his White Pantera mask, Rodolfo smiled at his son. At seeing his father smile as he put on his mask, Manny jumped off of the couch and puffed out his chest.

"All right! Let's go papa!" The boy ran to the door, his father right on his heels.

When Rodolfo and Manny arrived at City Hall, they were in their superhero identities. Busting through the front doors, both supers stood beaming, awaiting some sort of fanfare, confetti or at least a cookie. Instead they saw heavy amounts of security that kept them under hawk-like surveillance, distrustful stares from the all ready nervous concierges manning the front desk. White Pantera was unnerved by the cold reception he and Manny were receiving. He wondered what Rodriguez was going to do. Motioning for Manny to stay close, the superhero walked up to the front desk and looked at the nervous blond trying to hide behind her computer.

"Hola. Uh… White Pantera and El Tigre to see President Rodrigeuz…" White Pantera glanced around the computer to the woman. The blond shrunk into her chair and looked at the seasoned superhero with big, scared hazel eyes.

"Through those doors and last door at the end of the hall!" She squeaked nervously tossing her thumb at a big door to her left. "You can't miss it."

White Pantera nodded.

"Thank you." He replied politely, like he always did.

"Just-… just _go_!" The desk girl peeped, hiding behind her fashion magazine as she shooed them away with her hand.

Blinking at each other, El Tigre and White Pantera followed the nervous woman's instructions. Under the intense stare of security both supers disappeared behind the door.

The hallway was long and gaudy, much like everything that Municipal President Rodriguez did. From his ditzy, much younger wife to his penthouse mansion, Rodriguez loved dreaming up the next toy he would buy with tax payers' money. But that didn't mean he wasn't a bad politician. He was an excellent politician; he had enough to keep the people of Miracle City entranced. Gifted with a silver tongue and style not unlike a movie star Rodriguez was able to keep people under his thumb. You could only hope that Rodriguez called White Pantera and El Tigre here to ask them to his next bachelor auction.

Coming to the huge double doors, White Pantera raised his knuckles and gave the wood a loud knock. The door immediately opened and he was looking at a BIG member of Rodriguez's security force.

"White Pantera and El Tigre to see-" The superhero peeped before a nasally and slightly screeching voice cut him off.

"Is dat dem? Show dem in! Show dem in!" It was President Rodriguez. The brawny bodyguard stepped aside and let both super come into the room.

The short man with glasses, bald head and big hair grey tuffs was sitting at his grossly oversized and flashy desk when he saw two of Miracle City's premier superheroes walk into his office.

"Pantera! Tigre! Bienvenido a mi oficina!" President Rodriguez hopped off his chair and hurried to the two Riveras. Taking White Pantera's hand and giving it a shake and doing the same to El Tigre's, the small president turned to all of his security guards. "Dat will be all, boys. I would like to speak with Pantera and Tigre solo por favor."

Without a word the several huge men left the room. Rodriguez chuckled.

"Seguridad. What are chu going to do?" The short man returned to his desk, waving his hand disinterestedly. "Sentarse."

The superhero and his thirteen-year-old son did as they were told.

"Don't mind de extra seguridad Riveras. Just a precaution. I hear chu two had a very busy morning." Rodriguez offered with a smile that he clearly cultivated by being a politician.

Both Rodolfo and Manny nodded meekly, studying the politician's smile.

"One of the busiest in a while thanks for asking!" White Pantera quipped, a bright, friendly smile on his face. But he sunk in his chair when Rodriguez frowned. "But that's not what this meeting is about… Oh! I see! That was a rhetorical question! I will stay silent."

The superhero chuckled nervously and El Tigre slapped his forehead at his father's blatant obliviousness to the obvious. President Rodriguez pinched his eyes shut and rubbed them from behind his thick glasses.

"Chur mañana, White Pantera." The short man continued before he turned to Manny. "I have heard of El Tigre's incident with de policia."

"That wasn't my fault! It was a HUGE misunderstanding!" Manny cut in. But he zipped his lips shut when he saw the annoyance on the Municipal President's face.

The political figure loathed being interrupted.

"Sí, Tigre; dat I have also heard from Policia Jefe Emiliano Suárez." Rodriguez forced a pleasant smile through his irritation. "What are de odds? A man in a hoodie, in dis weather with a lady's purse."

Giving a short chuckle, Rodriguez snapped his eyes to White Pantera.

"And I've also heard of chur battle with de Alebrije Monster." Rodriguez held his eyes to Miracle City's most genuine superhero. Sighing, he tapped his thumbs together. "Chu will be happy to know dat Señora Chichita will live. She has a few injuries and is currently unconscious but de doctors think dat she will recover just fine."

White Pantera shut his eyes as he shook his head.

"That was all my fault." The superhero confessed. Rodriguez scoffed.

"Regula numero uno about politics Pantera: Never admit fault." The short man was annoyed, hopping off of his chair and walking to the middle of the room. "I know it wasn't chur fault, Pantera; a _ciego_ man could see dat dis wasn't chur fault! Chichita shouldn't have been standing in de middle of a battlefield. It was HER fault dat she's in de hospital right now."

Rodriguez's face maintained the same angry expression.

"But… some of de people… dey don't see it like I do." He looked White Pantera in the eye. "Dey saw an irresponsible superhero running over a sweet señora. Dat is on top of El Tigre's policia clash. Most of de citizens of Miracle City are questioning dere trust the Rivera family."

The news hit both Rodolfo and Manny like a brick wall at Mach 5. President Rodriguez clicked his tongue and turned on his heel, back to his desk.

"But in mi primero opinion, such people are short-sighted." The short politician hopped back into his chair and looked at White Pantera. "Chu and chur hijo have saved dis city so many times! Was it not a year ago dat chu defeated dat vile La Cortina and Titanium Titan? It seems dat some people have forgotten that El Tigre single-handedly took down dat twisted team."

Still, Rodriguez sighed.

"Dat being de case…" He said. "As Municipal President of dis fine city, I am obligated to give de people _some_ sense of security. From dis moment on chur house will be under governmental surveillance."

Rodolfo and Manny shot out of their seats.

"What? Why?" Both immediately questioned.

"Surely ONE bad day isn't enough to call for such… extremo measures, sir?" Rodolfo nervously twiddled this fingers glancing at his son. "Lately mi familia has been under a lot of pressure and I'm sure today was just a little-"

"De people are scared of chu." Rodriguez candidly admitted. That shut Rodolfo up and Manny's mouth hit the floor.

"Scared? _What_ for?! It's not like mi papa's a _supervillain_ and that the city's at constant threat by me… usually." The teen chuckled nervously, his El Tigre ears going coyly flat on his head.

Rodriguez cocked a brow.

"Let me elaborate on chur morning Riveras." The short man gave Manny an icy stare as he held up two fingers. "One voluntarioso youngster getting in trouble with de policia by using his super powers to take a purse. Not even an hour and a half afterwards, during a battle White Pantera seriously injures an elderly señora dat everyone loves. Shall I go on?"

The answer was obvious.

"De public are seriously questioning de honor of de Rivera family, so chu can see dat chu are all ready on thin ice with de people." Then Rodriguez gave a short laugh. "Besides, the "governmental surveillance" is just a couple of cameras and a few chico listening devices. None of dat should get in de way of chur life."

Still Manny and Rodolfo were out of their seats, jaws on the floor.

"Dis time I will be able to ease de blow on chu and chur family, Pantera." Rodriguez stated. "I will give an official statement dat chu are excused from any criminal allegations, since dis was an accident. But as far as Tigre…"

The short man looked at the teen with unyielding eyes.

"I will do what I can." Manny dropped his eyes. "But mind churselves. Should chu mess up again, I may not be able to cover for chu."

El Tigre and White Pantera gulped. Rodriguez managed a smile.

"Now do not let dis interfere with chur day." He then shrugged. "Chu can count on me for covering chur nalgas. Dere is nothing more to worry about."

The two supers gave weak nods before glancing at each other. Rodriguez then stacked a pile of papers together.

"Gracias for chur time but now I must say adios. I have a lot of paper work to do." He waved them to the door. Without a word Manny and Rodolfo walked to the door.

"Gracias, President Rodriguez." White Pantera nodded at the politician.

"De nada, Rodolfo. It's de least I can do." Rodriguez nodded back. The superhero gave the man a polite smile before closing the door.

When both superheroes were gone, President Rodriguez hopped out of his chair and stared at the door. The small man stood in the middle of the room, hands folded behind his back. Silence through the room, only the sound of the hot city breeze swaying the curtains through the open window.

Then something black and flexible slipped through the window. As the black mass silently moved through the open window, it formed a curvy living shadow with sinister purple eyes. La Cortina made her way behind Rodriguez as he was facing the door, claws poised. She rose above the short man; he could not get away.

"I can hear chu, chu know?" Rodriguez voiced. La Cortina froze.

"Aw." The living shadow moped as she twisted around the man's small form. "How'd you know?"

Rodriguez smirked at the shadow, looking into her purple eyes. Pulling the glasses off of his round face, crimson eyes could be seen.

"Knowing chu for a little less den a year has its perks..." His voice morphed. "Mi amore."

La Cortina giggled as she uncoiled around "President Rodriguez" and crouched in front of him.

"Good work, Titan. You pulled Rodriguez off perfectly." Alejandra Marengo smiled as her costume retreated off of her face. She reached out and her dark fingers played with thesash on the disguised Titanium Titan's chest.

"Having liquid metal arms has its perks." The Titan closed his eyes as he felt Alejandra's hand wander up to his chest to his shirt's collar. "I can take any form I like."

Alejandra pouted.

"But I don't like this form." She crawled closer to her lover. "I love the Titanium Titan."

The ex-sidekick turned villain shrugged.

"I don't like this any more than you do." Then the Titan's disguised face darkened with an evil smile. "But you should have seen the looks on White Pantera and El Tigre's faces."

The shadowy supervillainess groaned dramatically.

"I heard everything but I couldn't watch." She pointed at the window. "I couldn't exactly slink in and ruin our little surprise for the Rivera family."

The Titan smiled under President Rodriguez's face.

"They'll never see us coming, Alejandra." He voiced. "They are completely in the dark."

A flirty look came over Alejandra's face.

"Which is where we want them, Titan." She pulled the small man into her lap. "Can I have a little kiss before I go make more trouble?"

The disguised Titan scoffed.

"I thought you'd never ask." He leaned in and captured his evil girlfriend's lips in a kiss.

Rodolfo and Manny came home in a sort of disbelieving stupor. Municipal President Rodriguez told them that they were no longer trusted and now feared by the people of Miracle City. All those years of saving this city over and over and the trust they built with the people was instantly shattered; years of bloodied knuckles and broken bones immediately destroyed by one exceptionally bad day. Now their family have to contend with being under the unyielding eye of the government and the burden of knowing they were no longer trusted by the people they'd give their lives to protect.

Twisting the doorknob to his home Rodolfo was the first to walk inside the Rivera family Hacienda. Manny sighed as his eyes were on his feet. What a horrible day. A bitter feeling circled the teen wonder's mind as he trudged behind his father and ran a hand through his curly black hair. His father hadn't spoken and nothing came to Manny's mind either. The boy's throat ached with this horrible turn of events. His shame was now his _father's_ shame and his father's shame was now _his_ shame! The Riveras were in danger of no longer being accepted as superheroes!

Just then Manny walked into his father, who was standing frozen in the middle of the room. Rubbing his face, the teen looked up at the man. Rodolfo's jaw was on the floor as his face was straight with surprise. Following his father's eyes, Manny saw what surprised his father.

There were several men swamping their house running cables to hook up the surveillance system.

"Ai Caramba." Rodolfo sighed dejectedly as Manny seethed. This was _too_ much.

Manny felt his fingers twitch for his belt buckle; he would transform into El Tigre and kick all of these unwanted people out of his house!

"This is _basuar_!" The teen hissed as he stepped out from behind his father. Manny was so ticked off that when he stood in the middle of the room, he caught all of the surveillance installation team's attention. "This is MY house and I'm ordering ALL OF YOU OUTTA HERE or so help me-!"

Then his father clapped a hand over his son's mouth and yanked him into his arms. Giving a nervous chuckle, Rodolfo waved at the installation team.

"Uh… carry on and don't mind my son." The man awkwardly made his way toward Grandpapi's room.

Manny's angry screaming and cussing was muffled by his father's hand over his mouth as they walked into Grandpapi's room and quietly shut the door. Rodolfo removed his and but gave a gesture to stay quiet.

"It's best to keep a tranquilo head, Manny." The superhero father stated. "We do not want to dig the hole we're in deeper."

Manny's face was twisted with anger as he stomped over to his grandfather's huge bed and plopped down on it. Arms folded and brown eyes sharp with frustration he looked up at his father.

"Great. I feel like I'm apart of some sick wildlife documentary!" Manny growled. Rodolfo sighed and sat next to his angry son.

"Me too, mi hijo. Me too." He put and arm around his seething son when they heard a whimper from Grandpapi's closet.

Getting up from the bed, both he and Manny walked over to the closet. Sliding open the door they saw Grandpapi in the fetal position and a homemade foil cone on his head.

"Dey're here!" The elderly yelled on a whisper, his thick glasses amplifying how wide his brown eyes had grown. "Dey are here to mess with mi mind!"

Manny and Rodolfo glanced at each other.

"Dey have hot-wired Señor Chappi and Little Burro with camera collars!" Grandpapi carried on, hands in the air gesturing to the clueless parrot and lazy donkey on his bed, now sporting new surveillance collars. "I have cameras in mi baño and toilet paper! No where is SAFE!"

Rodolfo and Manny sighed at Grandpapi's meltdown, before Manny scoffed.

"Yeah. How's this for "a couple cameras" and "a few chico listening deceives"?" The teen folded his arms angrily. "This is estúpido. We've been suckered."

Not even five minuets into the surveillance and the Rivera family was all ready hating it. How long before the cameras would drive them to loco?

* * *

R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	4. Fuego

Hola everyone! CJzilla here slamming out a very late update. Sorry about the delay. In this chapter, Manny is feeling the burn of his bad day. Meanwhile, the Chipotles are carrying on as they've done for nearly a year; they never saw La Cortina's visit coming. The rest of Manny's afternood goes up in smoke. Enjoy.

As I rampage this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... hate... review.

AN: I will do a "dear reviewers" next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 4

_Fuego_

Three o'clock in the afternoon rolled around. The surveillance installation team left about an hour ago and now new cameras hung from the ceiling in every room. Manny grumbled. Everywhere he would turn there was the shiny lens of a camera fixed on him. Municipal President Rodriguez assured his family that the surveillance was not going to interfere with their lives. Yeah right. This was a violation of privacy that was unprecedented; Manny felt like a goldfish inside a glass bowl. There was nowhere to hide since everything he said and did was documented and evaluated.

The thirteen-year-old super stood on the outside porch, head resting on his arms as he stared at the city below his penthouse casa. He watched the people move on with their lives, seemingly unconcerned and carefree. Manny's frowned deepened. The people of Miracle City were more relaxed than a city without superheroes. Why? Because he and his family busted their butts to keep supervillains and crime from eating the city alive. All those years of making sure Miracle City was safe at night. Manny had given up the life of a normal child to be a super. His father was in the same boat since Manny's mother left him because of the risks he was taking as a superhero. All those sacrifices and Miracle City turned on the Rivera family.

"Who needs them?" Manny growled, standing straight, his brown eyes sharpening at the city.

But the teen knew his bitter thoughts would not fly with his father. Rodolfo would save the city, rain, sleet, snow, love or hate. There seemed to be no end to his father's love and patience.

Just then the door to the porch swung open. Manny turned and saw Frida Suárez running up to him, backpack still over her shoulders.

"Manny! What's going on?! Do you see something cool down here?" She greeted running to the railing and looking down at the city. "Is it that guy with two noses doing cartwheels?!"

She pointed down at some random guy walking on the sidewalk and waved. Manny shook his head. Same, normal spazzy Frida, completely unchanged from getting arrested earlier this morning and having to go nearly a full school day without her best friend. Manny huffed and looked back over the city.

"Nothing but an ungrateful town that would be overrun by crime and villainy if me and my dad weren't protecting it." The thirteen-year-old boy grumbled. Frida gave her best friend a stare.

"Harsh, dude." The blue-haired chica stated. Manny looked at her, his eyebrows nearly clenched over his eyes.

"Harsh? No way!" He growled. "In case you didn't notice, there are like a bazillion cameras in my home now!"

Frida blinked and looked back at the house.

"You know what… now that you said something; your casa did seem a little more… shiny than usual." She was probably referring to the sparkling glass lenses of the many cameras she had to pass to get to the porch.

Manny sighed.

"Those are surveillance cameras; courtesy of Municipal President Rodriguez." The boy returned, looking back out over the city. "After we dropped you off as school, dad and I fought the Alebrije monster. In the process of fighting that ugly fish, dad creamed an old lady. Not even an hour later me and dad are called to City Hall by Rodriguez. You know what he said? He said that the people of Miracle City don't trust me and dad anymore and that we're going to have to be watched from now on."

Frida was silent, her mouth agape at the horrible news. Manny just rested his hands over his arms again.

"One bad day and I've gone from super-macho crime-fighter to a goldfish with no privacy." The boy growled. Frida blinked and set her hand on his shoulder.

"You're not a goldfish… goldfish have gills." She stated. Manny shook his head but couldn't help the smile that cracked over his face.

His smile gave into a chuckle and then a laugh. Finally his laughter died down and he rubbed his tired eyes.

"Thanks Frida." Manny voiced. The blue-haired thirteen-year-old swatted the air.

"De nada, mi amigo." She stated. "I brought you your homework from school today. You know that there's that big push to pile on as much homework before Dia de los Bibliotecarios. Which reminds me… what do you have in mind for the holiday?!"

Manny looked up at his friend, his blues suddenly gone.

"Well first superheroing in Calavera with dad, then pranking the supervillains with Grandpapi before spending the rest of the day on the beach with mi familia!" The boy answered. Frida laughed manically.

"Sweet! Sounds like we're gonna be busy goofing off the entire day!" She pumped her fist. Manny nodded.

"Yep! My family has been planning for this day for a year. Nothing's going to go wrong." He stated with a confident smile.

Approximately across the city, the scorching hot afternoon sun bore down on the port-side evil laboratory of the Chipotle scientists. Miracle City's premier mad scientist father-son duo were hard at work twisted the laws of nature and plotting their next big crime.

Walking into Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s work space you could see that the mad scientist wrapped up in his latest genetic research project. If smoke could be coming out of Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s ears, the room would have been engulfed in it. The man with thinning but wild brown hair, a metal left arm, robotic right eye and laboratory smock was experimenting. Playing with highly volatile chemicals and toying with very fragile organic material, the mad scientist was using an eye-dropper to apply tiny, delicate drops of chemical into a substance-filled beaker. Just when Dr. Chipotle Sr. had a drop of compound just into his beaker, an explosion of huge proportions blew through the house and make him squeeze the eye-dropper. Two drops of the volatile chemical were enough to splatter his new concoction all over his room's walls and his nice, clean laboratory smock.

And not even two seconds later Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s son, Dr. Diego Chipotle Jr. came stumbling into the room. The mini ten-year-old mad scientist with wild brown hair coughed, his face and body covered in black soot from the detonation. His father was covered in a inky, if a little furry green slime, the results of his experimentation. Even with the green slime over Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s face, Dr. Chipotle Jr. could tell that he was angry.

"Did you know that habanero chili pepper essence does not mix well with gasoline?" The ten-year-old gave a weak smile, trying to lessen the anger and punishment coming his way.

Dr. Chipotle Sr. brought his hand up to his face and wiped the globs of green slime off of his face.

"Diego! What did you do now?!" The man threw his arms in the air. Dr. Chipotle Jr. frowned and he ran his hand over his head, putting out the small fire in his wild brown hair.

"Father!" The ten-year-old spat back. "You act like Dr. Chipotle Jr. is _always_ up to no good!"

The mad scientist got up from his chair and wrung out the front of his smock.

"You are! And do not use that kind of voice when talking to Dr. Chipotle Sr.!" Dr. Chipotle Sr. wagged his finger at his son. Then he paused, quirking a brow at the boy. "And exactly _how_ did the habanero chili pepper essence get mixed with gasoline, Diego?"

The ten-year-old with wild brown hair, a metal left arm, robotic right eye and laboratory smock chuckled and shuffled his feet.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. was fitting our motorcycle with acid guacamole cannons!" He answered. "We can never be too prepared."

Dr. Chipotle Sr. nodded, agreeing with his son.

"It's probably for the best, mi hijo." The mad scientist walked over to his son and put a hand on his tiny son's shoulder. "Besides, how intimidating would we be if we smell like tostadas de chili?"

Dr. Chipotle Jr. made a face.

"You _still_ think that Dr. Chipotle Jr. is loco for using chili peppers in Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s evil schemes!" The ten-year-old turned his nose up and turned back to the kitchen. "For your information, _father_, avocados hold up against genetic twisting quite well."

Dr. Chipotle Sr. rolled his good eye and followed his son.

"Dr. Chipotle Sr. does not think that you are loco for having a… chili pepper fetish, Diego." The man returned and then shrugged. "Everyone has to have a hobby."

The ten-year-old scoffed.

"A hobby?!" Dr. Chipotle Jr. puffed out his chest. "Need Dr. Chipotle Jr. remind Dr. Chipotle Sr. that if it wasn't for MY acid guacamole, that Miracle City would likely be no more?!"

The evil mad scientist flinched a little at his son's words; again he was reminded how handy Diego's knowledge of acidic guacamole was. By that time, the two mad scientists walked into their living room and the ten-year-old was just getting started.

"You remember La Cortina, father? The negro moco that stole your essence?" Dr. Chipotle Jr. continued stopping in the middle of the room and tapping his foot. Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s face was as straight as a pin. "Without Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s guacamole, El Tigre and the blue haired vixen of my heart, Frida Suárez, wouldn't have been able to defeat her! You, me, would be essence-less vegetables!"

Dr. Chipotle Sr. now saw that he had offended his son when Diego spun on his heel and pouted.

"Dr. Chipotle Sr. has forgotten about La Cortina or how you guacamole saved the day, Diego." He placed his good hand on his ten-year-old son's shoulder. "Dr. Chipotle Sr. is sorry for forgetting. Even if you would use chilies and guacamole to do evil, that is fine with Dr. Chipotle Sr."

The boy turned back to his father, smile over his energetic and evil face.

"Gracias, papi." Dr. Chipotle Jr. beamed and dove into his dad's arms. Dr. Chipotle Sr. hugged his son back.

Though they were two of THE most feared supervillains of Miracle City, the Chipotles were a tight-knit family, even if their family consisted of only two people. A family that was nearly permanently destroyed by La Cortina when she first stole Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s essence. The ten-year-old boy was sent into a grief-stricken craze that made him so lethal that he nearly destroyed White Pantera and El Tigre. Dr. Chipotle Jr. was more than happy that he helped defeat that loathsome La Cortina, even if he did help his mortal enemy.

"Well _I_… have not forgotten." A foreign voice cut through the still air of the room. The Chipotles jumped apart and cocked their laser guns.

But they saw no one inside their home. Dr. Chipotle Sr. gritted his teeth.

"Intruder, Dr. Chipotle Sr. orders you to leave _now_ and you shall keep all of your faculties!" The man barked into the air, his eye and enhanced robotic eye scanning the room. The scientist cocked his laser gun for added intimidation.

An icy, distorted chuckle rocked the room. Finally it was Diego who recognized the voice. The ten-year-old gasped sharply before grabbing his father's hand.

"Dad! We have to leave! NOW!" The boy yanked his father toward the door. Instinctively Dr. Chipotle Sr. dug his heels into the floor.

"Diego! STOP!" The mad scientist barked. "This is OUR home and Dr. Chipotle Sr. will not leave just because-!"

Diego's hand was nearly on the doorknob when the shadows on the floor came to life. Both scientists were pulled into the air as their feet were taken from the floor. The ten-year-old remembered the icy tentacles that now gripped his arms to his body. La Cortina.

The child kicked and squirmed but could not break the shadow's grasp. The living silhouette held the ten-year-old at eye-level, observing the mini-supervillain much like a cat would a long-lost mouse. Diego saw those purple eyes appear through the blackness shadow and he felt his blood freeze.

"La-… La Cortina." The boy whispered, his crimson eye wide with terror.

La Cortina giggled, her flexible, dark form bending around the boy.

"You remembered, little one." The shadow's voice was gravely, hoarse and echoed. As her alien costume retreated off of her face, its purple eyes remained on Alejandra Marengo's face. "I feel touched that I am not forgotten."

Diego's mouth was open surprise as well as intense fright over his features. Alejandra then turned her eyes to Dr. Chipotle Sr.

"That's more than I can say for you, Dr. Chipotle Sr." She voiced. The man, like his son, was suspended in the air by her long flowing dress of shadows.

When Alejandra saw the confused but angry look on the scientist's face she gave a sheepish giggle.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced." The woman smiled before the inky blackness of her costume ate up her face. The shadow creature's purple eyes were slightly wide, indicating that she was pleased. "I am La Cortina."

Her lithe body stretched to the ceiling and she stared down at the mad scientist.

"You hold a special place to me…" La Cortina extended one of her long, black fingers and placed it on Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s nose. "Because you were the first supervillain in Miracle City to lose your essence to me."

She giggled, drawing away her hand. The shadowy supervillainess morphed back to her true size as her costume exposed her face again. She stood on the floor, her inky black shadow dress still had a hold on both scientists.

"But I can see why you don't recognize me. It was dark when it took you." She gave a flirty and evil smile at the man. The villainess relished in the speechlessness of the usually mouthy scientists.

With a wave of her hand, she called the portion of her black dress that held Dr. Chipotle Sr. Alejandra looked into his eyes.

"I am going to eat your essence, just as I did before." The shadow cooed and ran a cold hand through the man's unruly brown hair. The scientist squirmed but his face heated.

"You have a lot of guts to return to Miracle City, Cortina!" Dr. Chipotle Jr. growled. "White Pantera and El Tigre know your moves and all the supervillains will take… you… down!"

Alejandra laughed as she moved toward the ten-year-old boy.

"You mean a supervillain team-up?" She questioned, slinking in front of Dr. Chipotle Jr., a mocking smile over her plump lips. "You know better than that cutie."

The inky villainess pinched the boy's cheek. The ten-year-old snorted as he shrugged off her hand from his face, his crimson eye narrowing with anger.

"El Tigre stopped you last time! You're gonna get shot down in flames _again_!" A frown fell on Alejandra's mouth before she narrowed her purple eyes. She moved closer to the boy and looked him in the eye.

"Not this time, chico niño." The shadowy villainess returned close enough to him for a whisper to be heard. "I will be the last thing El Tigre and White Pantera see. I intend to break them from every possible angle and when they're completely shattered, then I shall strike."

Dr. Chipotle Jr. squirmed.

"Then what does this have to do with Dr. Chipotle Sr. and Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s son?!" Alejandra heard the man bark at her. Smiling, she turned back to Dr. Chipotle Sr.

"How's the best way to take flawless revenge?" She asked, zipping up to the scientist. Alejandra made a fist. "To eliminate the means by which your enemy gained victory the first time. Whether you care to admit it or not, Dr. Chipotle Sr., your son aided El Tigre in defeating me. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen this time 'round."

Her inky black arm formed a long knife. Alejandra kept eye-contact with Dr. Chipotle Sr. as she laid her knife's aim on the helpless ten-year-old in her grasp.

"You'll never get past El Tigre, you black moco!" Dr. Chipotle Jr. spat, writhing in her shadowy dress's grasp. With her attention stolen by the young boy, Alejandra dropped her inky knife and turned to him. "Granted, El Tigre and his familia are not the smartest bulbs but even on their _worst_ day, they would be able to figure out _ANYTHING_ of your plotting, La Cortina!"

The shadowy supervillainess grinned at the tiny boy.

"I've been gone for a year niño." Alejandra stalked toward the boy. "And I haven't spent all that time licking my wounds. So far my plan is flawless and I intend to wipe up all evidence until the time is right."

She raised her arm, her shadowy costume extending the length of her fingers. Dr. Chipotle Jr. was once again looking at those menacing shadow claws. Alejandra opened her inky claws and relished the look of alarm that memory jogged in the boy. Ignoring how helpless Dr. Chipotle Jr. was, the hardened shadow villainess held out her sharp finger and was about to enjoy a boy's essence.

Dr. Chipotle Sr. saw La Cortina about to harm his son. At risk of blowing off his own leg, the mad scientist cocked and fired a laser blast into the villainess's cloak of shadows. The inky alien costume fried around his body and Dr. Chipotle Sr. was free. As Alejandra spun around, Dr. Chipotle Jr. saw that his father was free and his laser gun pointed at her. The mad scientist was angry; furious that this villainess had the gall to come back and threaten him and his beloved son.

"Get _OUT_ of mi casa!" Dr. Chipotle Sr. seethed, aiming for the tentacle around Dr. Chipotle Jr. But Alejandra stretched out her arm and her inky costume's hand wrapped around the ten-year-old's head.

The villainess pulled the small boy to her and held him to her chest, icy fingers poised below his chin. Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s eyes went wide as he saw his own son in his crosshairs.

"You know that I am the most powerful villain within thousands of miles." Alejandra stated as her costume began to eat up her face. "It's unwise to pick a fight with an otherworldly powerful woman. So… are you willing to take the risk, Dr. Chipotle Sr.?"

As her black shadow dress consumed her face and those evil purple eyes were seen again, La Cortina saw that her words had an effect on the mad scientist. Anger was all over Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s face as he glared the supervillainess down. The man looked between La Cortina's eyes, her sharp fingers poised at his son's throat and Diego's frightened expression. Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s aim dropped but there was still a frown on his face.

"Good." La Cortina smiled. With a thought she ordered her costume to lash out.

A portion of her shadow dress flew forward, wrapped around the mad scientist's robotic wrist. Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s robotic arm was yanked to the side and as La Cortina's tentacle flexed, cut off his robotic hand. In a tangle of sparking wires the robotic hand fell to the floor. No one had time to move as the same dark tentacle wrapped around Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s body and yanked him to La Cortina's side. Lashed tightly, both mad scientists could not move. The shadowy supervillainess chuckled as she reached out with both of her hands and drove her costume into both scientists' bodies.

In an instant, she sucked out enough of their essence to keep them weak and under her control.

"Now let's make sure there is no evidence…" La Cortina voiced as her costume then began to bleed over and through the floor. Within seconds the smell of gas wafted through the room. "And no guacamole."

La Cortina began laughing she recoiled her dress of shadows to her. In a puff of black smoke, she and her two prisoners teleported.

Across town Manny and Frida heard an explosion.

"Que-?" The two thirteen-year-olds craned their heads toward the docks, only to see a huge cloud of thick, black smoke seep into the air. As they watched, the explosion grew, popping and roaring high into the sky.

Manny's face fell straight as Frida gawked over the railing.

"That's HUGE!" As those words left her mouth, there was a blast of green light from behind her, followed closely by a tiger yowl. Frida spun to see her best friend donning his super hero identity. "You can't be serious, Manny. What can Tigre do about a fire?"

The boy's face was still straight as he moved over to the railing.

"I can help." Then a shadow of shame fell over his face. "I-… I've got to do something. I need to do something to make up for earlier today… For my father."

Frida instantly smiled and hopped on the boy's back, nearly cracking his Adam's apple as she swung her arms around his neck.

"Then let's GO!" Frida cheered. Manny would have laughed if she wasn't choking him.

Taking a dive off of his family's roof, El Tigre and his best friend fell to the street below.

Making their way across Miracle City, Manny and Frida arrived at the scene of the fire and both were thunderstruck to find out what building was burning. This portion of the docks looked eerily familiar but it wasn't until they saw which building was burning that the recognized where they were. Manny dropped to the wooden boardwalk and his mouth fell open as Frida climbed off of his back.

"Oh, Manny…!" Frida gasped. "This-… this is the Chipotles' building!"

The Chipotles, Dr. Chipotle Sr. and Dr. Diego Chipotle Jr. respectively; villains with a science fetish that he fought with every odd day. And now their HOUSE was on fire! Manny left Frida standing on the sidelines and rushed toward the burning building.

Firefighters had difficulty controlling the blaze, since it was a mix of a gas and chemical fire. Water didn't even damper the intense heat of the burning warehouse and the fire was quickly spreading to the buildings around it. For their own safety, firefighters stood at a distance and sprayed water on the flames. Then the fire reached the canisters of oxygen inside. The pressurized, pure oxygen quickly buckled under the forceful heat and blew. The concussion knocked the firefighters off of their feet and the oxygen fed the fire, making it grow into a super-heated inferno. Ash, embers and debris fell from the sky.

One firefighter was hauled to his feet by El Tigre.

"Do you know if there's anyone inside?!" The teen super quickly asked, his green eyes wide.

"We don't know! We just got here." The man responded. To his horror, he saw the young boy bolt toward the fire, skipping between fire trucks to avoid getting fried by the flames. "The fire's TOO hot, niño! You'll burn alive!"

But the firefighter's words were drowned out by the roaring of the inferno.

Manny never heard the fireman but he obeyed his instincts when the fire was too hot to approach, even from several yards away. He hid behind a fire truck, feeling the waves of heat radiate from the blaze. But he HAD to know if the Chipotles were inside! If he didn't do something fast, the two villains might perish in the fire!

Looking around for options, Manny spotted the water that the docks were sitting on. If he couldn't go through the fire, he'd go under it. The teen made a break for the water, darting out from behind his fire truck shield.

The fire was intense; it heated up the side of his body and it felt like his costume caught fire as he ran. But the dock ended and he jumped into the water. The sweet relief of the cool water was momentary as Manny surfaced. Poking his head out of the water, he saw that the fire was spreading to the underside of the wooden dock. It was beginning to buckle. The young boy was left at a crossroads. Should he go after the two villains he thought were still inside their burning home, or should he get all the firefighters off of the dock before it burned and caved?

Manny growled before he swam back to the dock. Climbing a waterlogged support, the teen made it onto the boardwalk and ran back toward the firefighters. He grabbed the nearest one by the arm.

"The dock! It's on fire! Everybody off NOW!" Manny yelled over the roaring of flames and the fire hoses squealing with water. The thirteen-year-old hero jumped between fire trucks giving his warning.

As the firemen retreated, the dock began to give in. Manny helped the last fireman to safety and suddenly realized that Frida was nowhere in sight.

"Frida?" The teen looked around before jumping on the roof of one of the fire trucks saved from burning. Manny looked around, not seeing his best friend anywhere. "Frida!"

Bolting off of the fire truck, the young super ran back to the burning boardwalk. The Chipotles' burning lair caught his attention. Manny was helpless and could only watch as the smoldering building suddenly caved into the water. The fire was doused with one big hiss and suddenly, everything was quiet.

Manny stood there, his mouth still open as he looked over the wreckage. Nothing… no one, could have survived that.

"Manny!" He heard Frida call his name. Whirling around, he saw his best friend standing along side the tired firefighters, nonchalantly eating a churro.

Well, that answers where Frida was. Manny gave a short wave before looking back at the Chipotles' decimated lair. The pinch of concern that hit his chest suddenly turned into a thousand-pound brick. If the Chipotles were in that fire… They could have been saved if only he moved fast enough.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!


	5. Perdóname

Hey everyone! CJzilla here with another update! In this chapter Rodolfo is faced with something that no good parent wants to go through. It appears as if he's failed being a parent and failed Manny. Grandpapi sure isn't helping. Enjoy.

As I stomp all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

_Moranofchaos2: Yep. La Cortina is taking no prisoners. She only cares about one thing: breaking the Rivera family._

_eltigre221: Oh, they're gonna go crazy. And it's gonna get a lot worse than this._

_acosta perez jose ramiro: Again, thanks for the spanish grammar corrections. I need it. And I think you'd be happy to know that I just bought the Rosetta Stone for Spanish! I'll be able to write Spanish better and hopefully be able to speak it fluently too!_

_CardCaptorKatara: Thanks! Here's an update!_

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Chapter 5

_Perdóname_

Manny came home, charred and feeling lower than ever. The young super had just witnessed the Chipotles' lair go up in flames and still no sign of the evil scientists that lived there. Manny feared the worst; he feared they perished with their home.

The niño was taking the fire very hard. He was thrust into a decision that no person should ever have to make. Manny had to either save the crowd of firefighters or dive into the burning warehouse to save the Chipotles. The young super saved about a dozen lives today including all the firemen fighting the fire. But Manny kept seeing those flames eating up the warehouse and then the burnt building tumble into the bay. He kept asking himself if he could have prevented that. If he had moved just a little faster, could he have had time to douse the fire? Could he have done something to change the Chipotle's fiery fate? Was there something he could have done to save them?

Manny felt his chapped throat tighten with guilt. With all the smoke he inhaled, the paramedics at the scene put him on oxygen. The five minuets he was on the respirator helped his breathing immensely, but then the media came. All of Miracle City's news channels, newspapers and everything in between flocked to the area. Once they learnt that El Tigre was the hero who saved the firemen, the converged around the thirteen-year-old. Their questions burned, each more heartless than the last; every little detail of his horrible day was pulled back to Manny's attention. There was a point that he couldn't take the swarm and onslaught of accusations and questions. So he ran… Manny ran hard and far to get back home.

The young boy, on the verge of collapse placed his hand on the doorknob of his home, easing open the door and walked in. Home; safe.

A feeling of relief washed over the teen. Home never looked so good; surveillance cameras and all. Manny walked through his house, seeking one of the only people who could help him right now.

"Papa?" Manny called out, his throat raw and painful. "Papi? Papa, where are you?"

The thirteen-year-old stopped and listened. The house seemed quiet and empty, but then he heard his father from in the kitchen.

"In here, mi hijo." Rodolfo sounded… distressed, probably still upset about earlier today.

Manny wanted to run into the kitchen, eager to see his father's face. But the thirteen-year-old kept his composure, trying to look as poised and macho as he could. He was nearly in the kitchen when he heard his mother's voice.

"Where does he go when he leaves?" Maria Rivera questioned her ex-husband. Manny heard Rodolfo sigh.

"I don't know, Maria." The weary man answered. "I trust Manny."

There was a silence that told Manny that Maria was angry. Manny gulped and walked into the kitchen. He saw his mom standing at the table, and his father seated in a chair. Manny gave his mom a smile.

"Hola mama! You didn't tell us you were coming!" The thirteen-year-old grinned. Maria gave a smile.

Manny's own grin faltered at how uncharacteristically solemn his mother's smile was. Then the woman caught sight of her son's clothes.

"Mi hijo! What happened to you?! And why do you smell like smoke?" Maria's face twisted with concern. Manny coughed a little.

"There was a fire." The teen bowed his head. "At the docks. I don't know if Dr. Chicken Pot Pie and his dad are…"

He trailed off.

"A fire?" Rodolfo got up from his chair. "And you left ALONE?"

The thirteen-year-old looked up and nodded.

"You should have told me, Manny!" Rodolfo's walked over to his son, eyes wide with surprise. "Both of us should have gone."

Manny pinched his eyes shut. If White Pantera had been there… maybe the Chipotles would be safe.

"Sí, hijo." Maria came to her son. "That was far too dangerous for you!"

Then she started hyperventilating before she turned to Rodolfo.

"You should know where Manny is all the time, Rodolfo!" She barked. "He could have gotten seriously hurt!"

"I know, Maria." Rodolfo agreed, his eyes falling. Manny clenched his teeth as he listened to his mom chew out his beloved father.

"Mom!" Manny cried. The woman stopped and both adults looked at the boy. "This is all MY fault! I didn't tell dad where I was going, because… I wanted to do something to make up for this morning."

Maria sighed and knelt next to her son.

"Mi hijo… I heard about what happened earlier today." The kindhearted woman put her hand on Manny's shoulder. The thirteen-year-old boy looked up at her, eyes wide. "Chief Suárez called me and told me about… your arrest after I got home from work today."

Manny felt horrible. Now his sensitive mother knew about his arrest. It just deepened the feeling of guilt. Maria's kind face was still unchanged from that solemn expression.

"Manny… you must stop these criminal compulsives." The woman voiced. Manny and Rodolfo snapped their eyes to her, their expression disbelieving.

"Mom! That was an accident! I wasn't trying to MUG that man!" The thirteen-year-old super immediately returned. Still, Maria's face was unchanged.

"How am I supposed to believe that, Manny?" The woman asked, her eyes glittering with hurt. "You and Frida… only tell us what you want to tell us."

Manny's mouth was on the floor.

"N-no! Mom! I'm not lying!" He jumped out from under her hand. This time Rodolfo came to his aid.

"How can you say that, Maria?" The man stood in front of his son. "Manny did not lie! What he says is in full agreement with the polícia's reports and Frida!"

Maria stood and her eyes fell to the floor.

"I'm… I'm just having a hard time trusting anything that Manny tells me. Mi hijo hasn't exactly been totally honest with either one of us." She returned to her ex-husband. Manny was floored.

Rodolfo looked at his wife, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Manny." He looked down at his torn son. "Can you give me and your mother a moment alone?"

The thirteen-year-old was frozen, not able to move. Shock then turned into anger. Without a word, Manny's face darkened as he glared at his mother. The boy turned on his heel and moved out of the kitchen, shoulders rigid. He moved off to his room and slammed the door.

Rodolfo watched his son go, his heart feeling heavy for his hurt son.

"Why did you say that, Maria?" The man immediately questioned as soon as Manny shut the door to his room. "Manny has had a horrible day! Your words just made it worse!"

Maria's big brown eyes were cast into the hallway her son disappeared into before she looked up at Rodolfo.

"My day has not been as pleasant either, Rodolfo." Her lips creased into a frown as her eyes moistened. "I come home for work today to find that my son has been arrested on his way to school. Our son is following a criminal path, Rodolfo."

Rodolfo shook his head.

"This has been a very, very bad day, Maria. You can't just-" But he was cut off by the sharp, hurt look in his ex-wife's eyes.

"Today just… today has shown the depth of the effect of Manny's life in Miracle City with Frida, Grandpapi and… you." Maria responded, her voice soft but firm. "I do not want my son becoming a criminal, Rodolfo. He deserves a better life than you can offer him."

Rodolfo had a moment where his world froze and didn't start spinning for several long seconds. Maria was blaming THIS household of turning Manny into a bad apple, namely HIM! No! He'd been so careful to raise his beloved son to be a hero, to love good! How could she accuse him of allowing Manny to become a criminal? HE was a superhero; he would never encourage Manny to become a supervillain! But… what about Grandpapi? Rodolfo's father was not above taking his grandson with him to his various crimes. Now that Rodolfo thought about it, Manny really did love going with Grandpapi. Was Grandpapi's villainous ways leaving a bigger impression on his son's mind that Rodolfo first thought?

"I'm sorry, Rodolfo." Maria's voice brought Rodolfo out of his thoughts. Blinking, he saw his wife slip a set of papers onto the table from her purse.

The man glanced at it and was horrified to see a custody document in front of him. Rodolfo snapped his eyes up to his ex-wife, face marred with hurt and betrayal. Maria, held her soft brown eyes to his.

"I see no other way." She voiced solemnly. "You can't be a superhero and a good parent at the same time, Rodolfo. It's best that Manny come under my care."

Rodolfo slowly sat down, his face nearly expressionless yet deeply pained. The man slipped off his mask as he looked at the document.

"Let me… let me think this over, Maria." Rodolfo whispered. The woman gave a soft nod before taking a step out of the kitchen.

Maria took a step out of the kitchen before stopping and glancing back at her ex-husband. Rodolfo was staring at the custody papers, unable to blink or breathe. The woman's eyes fell to the floor as she quietly sighed. Without another word she walked to the front door and left.

Only when he heard the front door open and close and that he knew Maria was gone, did Rodolfo bury his face in his hands. The feelings of failure and unfathomable sadness ate away at the man's soul. He was in deep danger of losing his son to evil, to Maria.

Maria Rivera quietly closed the door of her ex-husband's penthouse behind her, her brown eyes still cast at her feet. She'd just given him papers to sign over Manny's custody to her. Rodolfo was taking it hard; very, very hard; _deliciously_ hard. Maria's kind face cracked with a sinister smile before she walked toward the edge of the building. As she walked with her face in the wind, where no one could see or hear her, the woman threw back her head and gave a loud villainous laugh as her shape began to melt. Alejandra Marengo laughed as the costume retreated off of her face, showing a twisted smile and purple eyes shining with pure evil.

Nothing like a little method acting, impersonation and sowing doubt to make her feel complete. Alejandra was excited about the document she presented to Rodolfo. It was a real custody paper and the villainess really wondered if the man would sign it. Knowing Rodolfo, being his number-one fan for all those years, Alejandra knew that he would. The superhero was too much of a perfectionist, too selfless and too sensitive; he'd sign and fall right into the trap. Alejandra cared little who got custody of Manny Rivera and since the REAL Maria Rivera was not battling for custody, the papers would be void anyway. All she cared about was that signature! When, _not_ if, Rodolfo signed those papers, it would put the final blow into the Rivera family. Manny's trust and faith in his father would be dashed, Rodolfo's feelings of betrayal and failure would ripple to Grandpapi and Grandpapi would most likely repeat this cycle. Let the misery fester. It was going to get way worse before it'd get any better.

Alejandra Marengo chuckled as her costume reformed over her face, her black costume re-assimilated her disguise. She was once again La Cortina. Moving to the ledge of the building and glancing down to the street, which was about seven stories below. La Cortina couldn't take that smile off of her face as she jumped. Just before her body slammed on the ground, La Cortina teleported in a blast of black smoke.

Manny sat on his bed, clutching a pillow, glaring at the wall and oblivious to what just transpired between his father and mother. Mom didn't believe him! When it counted the most, she _didn't_ believe him! Yeah, he had a track record of lying to his parents but he never imagined it would bite him in the butt like this. Now his mom didn't trust him and his dad probably felt the same way. The thirteen-year-old boy felt frustrated and angry. His best seemed to fall short of everything today. He got himself and Frida arrested, he was rebuked as a responsible super by Chief Suárez and he found out that Miracle City no longer trusts him. Now he and his family were now being watched like goldfish! He couldn't save the Chipotles from their burning house and now… THIS!

"Basuar." Manny whispered to himself. He sighed heavily and put his face back down into his pillow.

The boy felt his eyes get heavy and unconsciousness wrap around him. Maybe things would be better after a nap. Manny turned in his bed, listening to sound of the newly installed security cameras softly twirling. With a nap, hopefully this horrible day will become just a fuzzy memory. The thirteen-year-old boy let sleep blanket him.

About an hour later, Rodolfo was sitting in the front living room staring at the wall, his fingers intertwined in the pages of the custody document. The man couldn't bring himself to read it. His emotions were choking and crippling. Manny was his one and only son. He'd cared for Manny like he'd never cared for something before. Rodolfo had this conversation with himself in the past. He promised himself that if he ever saw Manny in trouble and in need of a father, Rodolfo wouldn't hesitate to give up superheroing for his son. How long ago was that? And how long did it take for Manny to begin to show signs of a problem child?

"For a while now." Rodolfo said out loud to himself. Yes, Manny had a few bad habits like lying, stealing and being half-way disobedient.

Why was he just realizing this now? Why didn't he realize it at the first sign? The answer was pretty clear, at least to Rodolfo. He loved being a superhero; he loved being a superhero more than anything. Did that include Manny? When Manny picked up his first bad habit of stealing with Grandpapi, did Rodolfo stop superheroing to become a good father? No. He was so wrapped up in battling for good that it blinded him to the turmoil beginning. But… was he _REALLY_ blind or just ignoring Manny's bad behavior?

Rodolfo sighed at himself. He had ignored Manny's behavior; he let his love for being a superhero cloud out how desperately Manny needed a father. And now look where that has landed him and his son. Rodolfo looked down at the legal papers on his lap. Maria was right. Manny did deserve a better life; a life without such a selfish father.

Just then the front door flew open and in stepped Grandpapi.

"Ah! Mi casita!" The old man sighed happily. Obviously his trip to the Turkish bath did his old bones and cranky mood some good.

Grandpapi nearly walked passed Rodolfo when he noticed that his adult son was sitting on the couch like a statue. The naughty retired supervillain stopped and turned to his son.

"Rodolfo! Buenos tardes! How long chus been sitting dere?" Grandpapi smiled. Rodolfo brought his eyes up to his father and just stared.

This was not like Rodolfo, not at all. Grandpapi saw the distraught look on his son's face.

"Rodolfo? Are chu all right?" The old man asked. Rodolfo's face was still straight. "Oh! Hold on momentito! I must get mi tin foil sombrero from mi room! I's need it to block out de mind-control beams emitted from de cameras!"

Grandpapi skittered off to his room and Rodolfo rolled his eyes. His father still felt the government was trying to "get to him" through the newly installed surveillance cameras. Then the old man came back into the room, a cone made of aluminum foil on his head.

"Much better." Grandpapi sighed then looked back over to his son. "Now as I was saying, hijo… are chu all right?"

Rodolfo sighed again and looked at the papers on his lap. Then he held them.

"These are legal papers." The man began. Grandpapi blinked.

"Legal papers?" The old man took them from his son and looked it over. Grandpapi's eyes went wide from behind his thick glasses. "Dis is a… custody documento! Rodolfo-…!"

The man got up from the couch and walked to the middle of the living room, head bowed.

"What are chu doing with a custody documento?" Grandpapi asserted.

"Manny deserves a better life, papi." Rodolfo returned, his back to his father. "A life I failed to give him."

Grandpapi held in a horrified gasp. Then he gave a disbelieving chuckle.

"Mi hijo, just because chu had one bad day doesn't mean chu have to-…" He moved in front of his son to see the pain in Rodolfo's eyes. "Don't do dis, Rodolfo. Manny is chur son; my grandson. He belongs here with us."

Then Rodolfo's eyes sharpened with anger.

"And yet you provided a bad example for Manny to follow, padre." The man frowned. "It is because of _your_ influence that Manny is in the situation he's in now!"

Grandpapi glared at his son.

"I did no such thing!" The old man retorted. "I've taught mi grandson to be an honorable villain!"

Rodolfo slapped his forehead.

"There is no such thing as an honorable villain. Just a villain." He glared at his father. "And my son has followed your bad example. Now… Maria wants custody of him."

Grandpapi looked at the document in his wrinkly hands.

"I care for Manny, Rodolfo." The old man stated. "And I would do nothing to hurt him!"

"And taking him out to steal and pillage wasn't hurting him?!" Rodolfo folded his arms. "You taught him to lie, cheat and steal! You undermined everything that _I_ taught him!"

Rodolfo paused as Grandpapi glared at him.

"I taught Manny what he needed to survive!" Grandpapi barked back. "De world is a cold, heartless place. Chu were de _WEAK_ one to teach him how to be a hero! Not'ing ever comes out of helping people! Chu should see dat by now."

"Having a heart and doing good do not make me weak, padre!" Rodolfo felt his old childhood wounds being freshly opened. "Being helpful, compassionate and there when someone needs you is the right path in life! You never respected my decision to become a hero!"

Grandpapi rolled his eyes.

"Chu were striving after something as _imposible_ as de wind, Rodolfo. Only fools are heroes." The old man shot back. "Deep down chur heart is black. I'm not _stupido_, hijo; I knew chu became a hero to retaliate against me."

Rodolfo dropped his eyes and glared off. He knew his heart was pure and he always wanted to be a hero. But part of Rodolfo always wanted to get back at his villain father for some low points in his childhood, including the divorce from his mother.

"If I was any less of a man, father, wouldn't you be on the streets? Do I not care for you and be there for you when you needed me?" Rodolfo returned making Grandpapi soften a little. "I am a hero and that is not a weakness."

The man took the custody document from his father's hands.

"But I am not much of a father. Manny needs better." Rodolfo turned and walked back to his room, leaving Grandpapi in the living room.

The old man stood there for a few long moments. He began to wonder if his villainous actions may have had more of a bad effect that he once thought. Manny was a good boy… but not Grandpapi's son; Manny was Rodolfo's son. Had he respected those boundaries? No, not by disrespecting what Rodolfo had taught the boy by teaching him to be bad. He taught Manny that being a hero was weakness and that being bad was more fruitful. Was he wrong for doing that? Rodolfo sure seemed to think so.

Grandpapi growled, cursing at how annoying Rodolfo can be sometimes. Being a hero was for weaklings. Evil was the only logical way to go.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	6. En Una Forma Silenciosa

Hola everyone! CJzilla here with a much needed update to "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts". Sorry it took so long. I blame writer's block and a lack of motivation on my part as an author. So without further ado, here's the next chapter... In this chapter Manny is starting to see Frida in a new light but both are inadvertantly playing into La Cortina's hands and it ends in disaster. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: The "dear reviewers" will be discontinued. It was brought to my attention that a "dear reviewers" is illegal here. So if you want me to reply to your comments, please login. Thank you. Also, I've done some artwork of La Cortina. Visit my deviantArt account at CJzilla dot deviantArt dot com to see it.**

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Chapter 6

_En Una Forma Silenciosa_

Manny's eyes fluttered open. He couldn't stop a contented yawn from coming out of his mouth as he gazed up at the ceiling of his room. Wow. Immediately he felt a million bucks better. Months of back to back nightmares really took a toll on Manny's mood. Rolling to his stomach, the boy looked out the window of his room. It was dark; Miracle City's lights made the night sky glow a ghostly orange.

"Sheesh. Kinda slept in." Manny remarked to himself. If it was dark outside, what time was it?

The teen lifted his eyes to the alarm clock on his nightstand. Strangely the electronic clock was unplugged. Manny figured that one of the people installing the cameras must have unplugged it. The thirteen-year-old sat up and got off of his bed. Manny left his room, intent on finding out what time it was. There was a clock in the living room.

Then the window to Manny's room opened. A dark living shadow breezed into the room and collected on the floor. The shadow formed a curvy outline of La Cortina. The dark villainess grinned and moved to the nightstand. La Cortina grabbed the electric clock in her hand as one of her tentacles plugged it into the wall outlet. As the numbers blinked, the living shadow teleported.

Manny walked down the dark hall to the living room. Through the darkness he saw that the TV in the family room was on; the light from the television flickering. The boy made his way toward the living room not knowing how close La Cortina was to him. Poking his head into the family room, Manny saw no one on the couch but the TV was on. Scratching his head, he looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was in the kitchen.

"Manny?" Then he heard the voice of his grandfather. Manny turned to see Grandpapi sitting on the couch. "Where was chu?"

Blinking, the boy didn't see his grandfather there a second ago. Shrugging Manny walked into the kitchen, passing the small event off.

"Hola Grandpapi." The teen greeted his naughty grandfather who was watching a soccer re-run on TV. Then he yawned loudly as he came closer. "I was taking a siesta. I-"

Then the teen stopped, a peculiar scent coming to his nose.

"You smell that? It smells like… smoke." Manny sniffed the air. Grandpapi gave a nervous chuckle.

"Well, chu see… I just-" And then the old man blew a raspberry. Manny gave his grandfather a disgusted look.

"Ew!" The teen flinched. "You _farted_?"

Grandpapi threw his arms in the air.

"Well, I WAS out here alone!" The elderly troublemaker returned. The teen took a step away from him in an effort to get some fresh air.

"And since when do your farts smell like smoke?" Manny questioned.

"Is because I old! Chu start farting dust after a while." Grandpapi nodded looking back at the TV. Manny laughed. "I's thought chu'd be sleeping for a lot longer, Manny."

The teen glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nine p.m. Manny had been sleeping for about five hours. Beside the fact that that was a very long siesta, Rodolfo wasn't up and moving around like normal.

"And where's dad? Did he go out to do some crime fighting?" Manny questioned his grandfather. Grandpapi still had his eyes glued to the TV screen.

"No. He went to bed early like chu." The old man returned. "Is just chu and me up right now."

Manny nodded. It had been a long, hard day so why wouldn't dad be in bed early? Then Manny's mind came to Frida. He'd left here on the docks without telling her where he was going. He started to feel guilty.

"Did Frida call?" Manny asked.

"No dat I knows of." Grandpapi answered. The thirteen-year-old boy rubbed his arm and glanced at the nearest window.

It was late enough for Manny to get in trouble if he went out; dad wouldn't be happy if he caught him.

"Rodolfo's been asleep for a while, mi hijo." Grandpapi voiced. "I won't tell him dat chu snuck out."

The teen hero looked over at his grandfather, still watching the television intently.

"Thanks Grandpapi." Manny walked over to the window and opened it. "I'll be back before eleven. I just have to tell Frida why I left her at the docks."

The elderly man waved.

"Adios, Manny." Grandpapi didn't take his eyes off the soccer re-run. Manny smiled and hopped on the window seal.

The teen jumped out of the window and spun his belt buckle. As El Tigre, Manny shot his claw to a nearby building and began to swing toward Frida Suárez's house. From inside the Rivera hacienda, a pair of purple eyes watched him go.

La Cortina had resumed her shadowy form after impersonating Grandpapi and watched the young boy move out of sight from the hacienda. The living shadow chuckled slightly as she walked back into the living room. Lifting a dark finger to the clock, La Cortina readjusted the true time. 2 a.m. Flicking off the TV, the villainess walked back to the window. La Cortina closed her eyes and teleported. Next stop: Frida Suárez's home.

She'd make this night something that the Riveras and Suárezs would never forget.

"Psst! Frida!" The thirteen-year-old girl was stirred from sleep by the sound of her name being whispered. Frida sat up in bed, pulled the sleeping blind off of her eyes and looked around her dark room. "Right here, Frida!"

Looking to the window, the girl saw Manny's El Tigre form crouched on the window ceil, halfway into her room.

"Manny!" The small girl jumped out of her bed and came to her friend. "Whew! You're all right! I thought you got hurt or something."

The thirteen-year-old super hopped into the room, that usual cocky smile on his face.

"No. Sorry for leaving you there. It was just those reporters." Manny shivered. "They were getting too clingy."

"Yeah. Whatchya been doing for the last-" The girl looked over at her clock; 9 p.m. "For the last five hours? I was suffering here!"

The boy shrugged.

"I took a really looooong nap." He responded. "But now I'm all energized. You wanna… cruise Miracle City for some action?!"

Frida's smile tripled as she tossed off her sleeping blind.

"Well, I think I fell asleep only half an hour ago but I feel like I've been sleeping a lot longer." The girl ran and grabbed her clothes. "I'll be-"

Just then there was a creak from the hallway. The two teens jumped and dove for cover. Frida dove back under her blankets while Manny hid under her bed. They held their breath but then they noticed something weird. Just then the door swayed open and the Suárez family's guard dogs walked into the room. Frida sat up out of bed and wiped her brow.

"Manny, you can come out. It's just Carlos and Lobo." The girl crawled out of her blankets and sprang out of her bed. The big Dobermans wagged their cropped tails and gave Frida big licks.

Manny carefully peeked out from under the bed and was surprised when the dogs were not growling at him, like usual.

"Don't worry, dude." Frida waved one of her hands as she scratched the guard dog with the other. "I've conditioned Carlos and Lobo to get used to you being here when you're not supposed to. These pooches ain't barking."

The thirteen-year-old boy struggled to get out from under Frida's messy bed. Frida was getting a bath and giggling as Carlos and Lobo the Dobermans licked her uncontrollably.

"C'mon Frida. I told Grandpapi I'd be back at eleven. We're burning moonlight." Manny gestured for the window. He got a shirt in the face.

"All right! All right! Just let me change and get my goggles on." Frida ushered the guard dogs out of her room as Manny hopped back on the window ceil.

"Okay. When you're ready just call me. I'll be on the roof." And the teen super jumped to the top of the Suárez's hacienda.

Manny sat on the roof, waiting for Frida and looking out at the glowing city. He was relieved to find out that Frida wasn't mad at him for ditching her. She'd been through a lot this past year, just like he had. But Frida was better at maintaining herself. Frida had been his sounding board, his crutch and his confidant. Really, if it wasn't for her, he probably would have snapped a long time ago. Frida was always there for him. What would he ever do without her?

The boy didn't see the shadow with purple eyes looking up at him from the rose garden below. Unfortunately, Manny would soon find out just what his life would be like if he didn't have Frida's friendship; La Cortina would make sure of that.

"Manny! Manny!" The thirteen-year-old heard his name being whispered at him. Manny smiled.

Repelling down from the roof by one of his claws, Manny hung upside-down in front of Frida's window.

"You ready to go?" The boy questioned his best friend. The girl with blue hair straightened her goggles.

"Hang on, on second. I got some dirt on my goggles." Frida's face creased with frustration as she rubbed her goggles on her shirt. Manny thought that was the cutest thing; the way she'd meticulously care about those goggles.

Weren't they prescription? He knew they saved his butt more times than any accessory, aside from his El Tigre belt, than he knew of. Wait. Forget that. It was _Frida_ who'd saved his butt more times than he could remember. The girl was more than his sidekick, she was his best friend and sometimes, Manny felt that she was even more than a best friend to him. Over the last year, probably since La Cortina, he'd felt it grow stronger; there were whispers of something in the back of his mind. Whispers of something stronger than friendship between he and Frida.

"Dude… what's with the face? You're creeping me out." Frida stated giving him a concerned look. Manny hadn't realized that his romantic thoughts had surfaced on his face.

"Oh… sorry. You… ready to go?" He fumbled and stumbled through that. Frida flexed an eyebrow of concern but then smiled.

"Born ready!" She pumped a fist. Manny held a feisty smile as he held out his other hand.

Frida grabbed it and both teens swung off into the night to scare up some fun.

La Cortina watched the kids swing off toward downtown Miracle City. She'd be right behind them; she just had something to take care of first. Teleporting, the shadowy villainess reappeared in Frida's bedroom. The evil woman readjusted the girl's clock, just like she had with Manny's. By the time they figure out the real time, it'd be far too late to do anything about it. By then… La Cortina would spring the next pitfall and they'd tumble one step closer to being totally broken.

Just then the door to the room swung open. Whirling around La Cortina was caught by the two Doberman guard dogs. Carlos and Lobo bared their teeth and their mouths were just about to open to bark a warning when the villainess struck them. La Cortina's ribbons of darkness flew through the dogs' chests, sucking out enough of their essence to leave them unconscious. The two dogs crashed to the floor, leaving a little more than half of their essence with the villainess. La Cortina smiled from under her shroud of shadows. This will play to her advantage.

Miracle City was pretty quiet. This was due to the late hour. Manny and Frida were unnerved by the silence.

"Gee. Miracle City looks dead. Where's all the noise and the night life?" Frida scratched her head as she and Manny stood atop a building. "This is _strange_."

Her best friend had to agree as he looked down at the placid cityscape.

"It's only nine. This place should be hoppin'!" Manny glanced over the side of the building. The streets were completely deserted.

The boy quirked a brow.

"Hey…" He looped an arm around Frida. "Let's get a closer look."

With that the two kids dropped to the sidewalk below. It looked even more deserted up close than at a distance. Frida huffed and marched out into the middle of the street.

"How weird is this?!" She threw her hands into the air. "There's NO ONE HERE!"

Her shout echoed through the empty streets. Manny shook his head before he suddenly heard a door creak. Whipping his head around he caught sight of a door of a nearby building swaying open. Though it was strange, Manny's eyes widened when he saw what type of building was wide open.

""DeCarlo's Jewel Emporium"?" The teen read out loud. Then it hit him.

The only reason the door to a jewelry store would be open was if it was being robbed. Manny gave a big smile and cracked his knuckles.

"Hey Frida!" He chirped over at his best friend. Frida, who was busy looking for evidence of why the streets were deserted, looked up. "We have ourselves a robbery in process!"

The girl got a wicked grin on her face. Finally! Some action! Running over to her best friend, Frida was the first to charge into the open jewelry store.

"Let's nab us some dirt bags!" The girl cheered, hands in the air. Manny chuckled and followed.

When the two kids hopped into the jewelry store, they found it dark and empty. Manny, wasn't totally convinced that they were alone.

"The scum's probably hiding." The boy hissed. Then he unsheathed his Tigre claws and shouted into the air. "There's no where to go now, _malhechor_! El Tigre's here now! Give yourself up before you get hurt!"

Frida stood right beside him and both held their breath as they listened for the slightest movement. There was nothing. It sent a shiver up the teens' spines. Something was here but they couldn't see it.

"Um… Manny? This doesn't feel right." Frida whispered. Manny narrowed his eyes and felt his claws quiver.

"Yeah. I feel it too." The thirteen-year-old boy responded. An icy feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time ran through their bodies. "Let's get out of here."

He'd barely grabbed her hand when an alarm blared through the building. As Manny and Frida gasped, the windows and doors clamped shut, secured with thick iron bars. Lights shone through the dark night as the inside of the building lit an ominous red.

"Oh no!" Manny ran to the door and pulled on the security bars. As Frida watched, she had no idea that La Cortina was standing right behind her.

The shadowy villainess slipped a string of pearls and diamonds around the girl's goggles. Then La Cortina vanished in a puff of smoke. Manny was unaware of what had just happened and Frida was none the wiser that there was now a necklace of pearls and diamonds tangled around her red goggles.

Manny was not willing to stay here and get the blame for setting off the alarm. With three swipes of his Tigre claws, the security bars and door were shredded. He snapped his eyes back to Frida and gave her a fearful look.

"C'mon! Before we're busted!" Manny motioned for his best friend to hurry. Frida ran into his arms.

Picking her up, Manny ran out into the street and shot his grabble to the nearest building. The two teens left behind a jewelry building that was blaring with an intruder alarm. As he swung fast and hard, the only thing on Manny's mind was to flee. If he was caught there, the police would surly think he bused inside to rob the store. He couldn't be blamed, especially if Frida was with him… If she was accused of being his accomplice, that'd reflect badly on her. He couldn't let that happen again.

Running across town, the two friends thought it best to call off a night on the town. If Police Chief Emiliano Suárez or Rodolfo found out about the alarm, they might figure out that Manny and Frida were out without their say-so. Something told the teens that their parents wouldn't approve of their late night escape without permission, let alone setting off a jewelry store alarm. They had to get back home… and FAST!

They first arrived at Frida's house. Manny and Frida jumped through the window to catch their breath. With hearts pounding, they looked out the window and toward the direction of the jewelry store. They were so close to getting caught!

"I'm sorry, Frida." Manny said, looking up at his best friend. The room was dark, save for her bedroom door being cracked open. "We've had nothing but bad luck today."

The thirteen-year-old blue-haired girl gave a little laugh as she panted.

"Don't worry about it dude!" Frida responded. "That was just an accident. It was fun hanging with you."

She then fell a little silent.

"I'm kinda worried about you, Manny." Frida added. "You seem distant since this morning."

Manny looked off, searching how he felt about today. Worst… day… EVER; the three words that summed up the entire day. He'd disgraced his father, the people of Miracle City now FEAR the Rivera family AND he failed to save the Chipotles from a fire.

"I'm just trying to forget about today, Frida." Manny responded, shaking his head, trying to get rid of the accusing thoughts inside his brain. "This has got to be the worst day of my life."

He pulled on his Tigre ears, still agitated at his own failure. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm here for you, Manny." Frida said in a serious, caring tone. "If you need some help, I'm _always_ here for you."

Manny traced his eyes back to hers. Her eyes were sapphire and spoke a thousand words before she said anything. The boy swallowed hard; why, he didn't know.

"Thanks Frida." Manny peeped, dropping his eyes to the floor. "That means a lot."

Frida then pulled him into a hug. Manny melted and felt a million times better. Frida would be there for him… always.

Then the two teens heard one of the dogs walk down the hallway. The Doberman pushed open the door and saw the two kids. Frida and Manny breathed a sigh of relief and released each other. At least the dogs didn't bark anymore.

Suddenly, the dog started barking. Frida and Manny jumped.

"Lobo! Silencio!" Frida shushed, running to the dog. But the Doberman kept barking, shoving past the girl and shot toward Manny.

The dog snarled and barked, backing the thirteen-year-old boy into a corner. Frida grabbed Lobo's collar and gave a tug. It didn't budge the big animal and Lobo continued to make a ruckus. Suddenly lights went on throughout the house. Then footfalls followed. Frida gasped.

"Manny! My parents! If they catch you, we're both going to be in _deep_ doodoo!" She hurried. "The window! Get out of here!"

Then there was a pounding on Frida's door.

"Frida! Open this door at once!" It was Emiliano, Frida's father. The girl zipped to the door and held it closed.

"I'm fine dad! Lobo just saw a raccoon outside my window!" Frida excused, trying to buy Manny time. Manny moved toward the window, Lobo snarling and snapping at him.

He was nearly out the window when the Doberman bit his tail and drug him back into the room. Manny hit with a thud and grunt.

"Frida! Who's in there with you?!" Emiliano growled. Frida dug her heels in as her father pushed on the door.

"Dad! It's nothing! _Seriously_!" She pleaded. But her father was coming in.

With a push, Frida was knocked to her butt and Emiliano came running in. He hit the lights and immediately saw Manny Rivera on the floor, Lobo gnarling at him.

"RIVERA!" The man roared, fury in his single blue eye. It was at that time that the dog backed off and walked out of the room.

Frida's mother and twin sister ran inside Frida's room, gasping at what they saw.

"Dad! Mom! I can explain!" Frida was on her feet, standing between her father and Manny. She got a venom glare from her father.

"Rivera is not allowed on our property at night and is _definitely_ NOT in your room ALONE with you, hija!" Emiliano growled, looking angry enough to tear Manny to pieces.

"It's okay, dad!" Frida pleaded, getting annoyed that her father was being belligerent. "Me and Manny thought we'd just go out into the city. We were going to be back by eleven! Honest!"

That sent a twitch to Emiliano's eye.

"It's THREE in the morning, Frida!" He roared. "YOU'VE BEEN OUT ALL NIGHT?!"

The teens were thunderstruck.

"NO! When we left it was nine o'clock! That was only an hour ago!" Frida ran to her clock. To her horror, the clock did indeed say three a.m.

Her mouth was on the floor as she picked up the clock and showed Manny.

"Time flies when you're out without permission!" Emiliano hissed. Both teens were speechless. "And WHAT were you doing all night?! Partying? Vandalizing? Drinking?!"

Frida's father grew increasingly angry with everything he named. Manny and Frida shook their heads. Suddenly a strange rattling was heard and the room went silent. When Frida stopped shaking her head, she noticed something hanging off of her goggles. Reaching up, she plucked a necklace of pearls and diamonds from her head. Manny examined it and gasped. Realizing what it was, Frida yelped and dropped the necklace like it was red-hot. Emiliano bent down and picked up the string of expensive jewels. He examined it before a seething look surfaced on his face.

"You were robbing jewelry stores?" He hushed, so mad that he couldn't yell.

"No way!" Manny stepped forward. "The worst we did was run into that jewelry store! We thought it was being robbed!"

Emiliano wasn't buying it.

"That's _basuar_ Rivera!" The man barked. "How did this get here? Did it walk or were your fingers so sticky that you just had to take it?! Where is the rest of the stolen jewelry?!"

"WE DIDN'T ROB ANYTHING!" Manny shouted. When he gulped in air, he then realized that there were tears fringing on his eyes.

Emiliano's steely expression said it all.

"You are never to see Frida again and if I ever catch you trying, I'll be there with a pair of hand-cuffs and matching prison bars." The police chief said.

Silence circled the room. Manny felt his scowl deepen dangerously as his Tigre claws slid out of his gloves. Emiliano had ripped him down today and Manny was at the breaking point. This man would NOT take Frida from him! It seemed like she was all he had left. Just as the boy felt like he'd slice the police chief into pieces, he thought of Frida. If he harmed her family, their friendship would never recover. Manny sheathed his claws and stood there, angry and hurt to the core. He said nothing.

"Papa! No. Please!" Frida pleaded, running up to her father and tugging on his nightshirt, tears pouring from her eyes. "Manny's my best friend! You _can't_!"

Emiliano looked down at the girl and grabbed her arm. He presented the stolen necklace to her face.

"This boy is a bad influence, Frida. And he is walking a path that you cannot follow." The man looked up at the angered teenage boy. "Get _out_ of my sight, Rivera! You are _never_ welcomed in my home again!"

Manny turned and ran to the window. Without looking back, he jumped out. Frida sobbed, falling to her knees. Emiliano huffed and walked out of the room.

"You are in lockdown, young lady." The man said from the doorway. "No phone, no computer, no guitar and NO privileges."

As the Suárez family filed out of the room, they left Frida crying on her floor. Emiliano marched down the stairs and to the phone. The man plucked the phone from its receiver and punched in the number. It ran twice before a groggy voice answered.

"Hello?" It was Rodolfo Rivera. Emiliano raked his teeth together.

"Mr. Rivera, this is Police Chief Suárez." He growled. "Your son is on his way home. He is never to see Frida again or to set foot on my property. Am I clear?"

Another pair of ears listened to the phone conversation from out of a nearby window. Lobo the dog sat there, a smile over his face. Suddenly, the dog's form shifted and La Cortina sat in the cool grass. She'd never impersonated an animal before but there was a first time for everything. La Cortina was pleased with herself; she had teleported into that jewelry store, opening it from the inside, baiting Manny and Frida. The teens played into her hands better than she ever could have expected. Banking on Emiliano's dislike for Manny, the villainess merely had to alert him to the boy's presence in the house.

Now Manny and Frida were forbidden from seeing each other. It was gratifying but not completely satisfying. La Cortina wanted Manny and Frida's friendship in pieces at her feet. That meant that she still had to crack their closeness… and she knew exactly how to do it too.

With a little laugh, the shadowy villain teleported. It was time to watch the chaos unfold at the Rivera family house.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	7. El Peor En Mi

Hello everyone! CJzilla here with another update. In this chapter things get worse for the Riveras but the Titanium Titan is feeling a little guilt. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: This story I am officially dedicating to my grandmother who passed away May 2, 2009. She was teaching me Spanish when she died. So this is for her. And if you want to see some El Tigre art go to my deviantArt account at cjzilla dot deviantart dot com.**

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Chapter 7

_EL Peor En Mi_

Manny fled the Suárez's house. He slashed light posts, over turned cars, smashed windows and crushed garbage cans. Between the groan of metal buckling under his fists, the screaming of car alarms and the squealing of light posts as they toppled, Manny could hear himself weep. Frida was _all_ he had left! And now he couldn't see her again! Manny felt the weight of the world bear down on his shoulders and bring him to his knees. Pressure of agonizing might pushed him closer and closer to his breaking point; much more than any child had to endure. This wretched week brought out the worst in him and everyone around him! The world seemed to exist only to remind him of how useless he was. There was no air that he could breathe without inhaling his own failure.

Manny Rivera bounded to a rooftop and collapsed. Slumping forward he buried his face in his hands and let bitter tears soak his mask. Was there not a corner of his life that this horrible week hadn't attacked? Grunting, the thirteen-year-old boy grasped the back of his mask and gave a firm pull. Manny's El Tigre mask fell to the ground. He looked at it. As El Tigre he was a superhero but he couldn't even save own his friendship. The most his super-powered alias did was sink him deeper into trouble. The boy heaved with tears and remained on the rooftop for a long time.

Rodolfo paced in front of the clock. 5 a.m. The sun was starting to light up the sky; sunrise being only about thirty minuets away. The man was worried enough to be sick.

"Why don't chu go looking for hims, Rodolfo?" Rodolfo was snapped out of his anxiety by his aged father sitting on the couch. Rodolfo turned to his father.

"If Manny isn't back soon, I will." He replied, wringing his hands. "He has been gone too long but I fear if I search for him, I may make it worse for Manny."

Since Emiliano Suarez's phone call, Manny had been gone for nearly two hours. According to the police chief, Manny was to never see Frida again. Rodolfo knew that was devastating news for his son. So there was nothing to be now but patient. Manny didn't need a disciplinarian combing the streets looking for him; he needed a supportive and loving father.

"Worse? De boy left de house in de middle of de night!" Grandpapi threw his arms into the air. "Chu should be LOOKING for him!"

Rodolfo snapped his eyes to Grandpapi.

"And who are you to tell me how to care for Manny, father?" The man pointedly replied. "You know nothing about being sensitive and caring."

Grandpapi gritted his dentures.

"Chu lecture me on being a bad influence over mi grandson and now chu tell me dis?!" The old man jumped up from the couch. Rodolfo stared down his father.

"Manny doesn't need me running after him and dragging him back home." He returned. "You would know nothing of compassion and sympathy. So you can help Manny by thinking a little more like a hero than a pillaging villain."

Grandpapi huffed and jumped back onto the couch, muttering under his breath.

"Chu accuse me of harming Manny, Rodolfo, when chu are too spineless to give him any real discipline." The aged villain folded his arms. "Dat's why Manny is becoming rebellious. No discipline."

Rodolfo felt rile burn inside of him. He wanted so bad to just fly off of the handle on his father, telling him that he was hypocrite for telling him such things. Yes, Manny was due for some discipline. Both he and Frida had broken into a jewelry store and stole from it. This was unacceptable! No son of Rodolfo Rivera's was going to be a petty thief. Rodolfo ran his hand over his face as he stopped in the middle of the living room. He prayed Manny would get home safely and that he could maintain his composure in front of belligerent father.

And suddenly he heard a "clunk" at the window. Looking up Rodolfo saw Manny in his El Tigre form hopping down from the window ceil. The man let out a sigh of relief as he ran to his child.

"Manny!" Rodolfo threw his arms around Manny and hugged him. He scarcely tightened his grip when Manny squirmed.

"Let go!" The boy gnarled. Rodolfo immediately released him and Manny pushed past him.

Surprised, it took a second to remember what Emiliano said.

"Manny! WHAT were you thinking?!" Rodolfo threw his arms in the air. "You know you are not allowed out at night! And just LOOK at what happened! Why don't you listen to me?!"

The boy snapped his tired, blood-shot eyes up at his father.

"I told Grandpapi where I was going!" Manny pointed a finger at his grandfather. Rodolfo snapped his eyes back up at his father.

"Why didn't you tell me this?!" He growled. Grandpapi looked genuinely stunned.

"I knew not'ing!" The old man returned, eyes wide from behind his glasses. Rodolfo looked back at his son.

Manny just glared at his grandfather.

"YES! You were right there when I told you I'd be back at eleven!" The boy exclaimed, marching over to Grandpapi. "You said that you wouldn't tell dad that I snuck out!"

Grandpapi gave his grandson a crazy look.

"No, chu didn't!" The aged supervillain returned. Manny smoldered, pulling on his El Tigre ears.

"You're LYING!" The boy insisted. "You were watching the soccer game on TV! You farted and it smelt like smoke! WHY are you lying _now_?!"

Rodolfo stepped between Manny and Grandpapi.

"I don't care about that, Manny." The man said, making Manny turn his back. "You know you're not allowed out at night without _my_ permission! Grandpapi's word does not count."

Grandpapi hopped off of the couch again.

"Wait uno momento!" The old man seethed. "Mi word does _no_ count?! Am I not apart of dis familia?!"

Rodolfo held out his hand to his father.

"We will discuss this _later_, dad!" The superhero growled. Then he looked back at Manny. "What you did was very wrong, son. And I have no choice but to punish you."

Manny glanced back at his father and glared. Rodolfo held out his hand.

"Give me your El Tigre belt, Manny. You are grounded." The man voiced firmly. Manny gave his dad a horrified look.

"WHAT?! How am I supposed to-?!" But Rodolfo cut him off.

"You lost privileges, mi hijo." The man returned calmly. "Now hand over your belt."

The boy was livid. Manny stood there for a long moment, getting so angry that his face turned red. Rodolfo was firm; he held out his hand and gestured for Manny's belt.

"FINE!" The thirteen-year-old fumed. With a spin of his belt buckle, Manny tore it from his waist and slammed it into his father's hands. "THIS IS BASUAR!"

And with that, the teen ran to his room. The hacienda shook and echoed when Manny slammed the door. Rodolfo flinched, holding his son's mystical item of power. That… was painful. Not only did he have to disciple his much loved son but he also had to watch him get angry. Rodolfo was doing what he had to. It was Manny's own fault that this happened.

"I cannot believe dat chu said dat! In _front_ of mi own grandson!" Grandpapi was furious. Rodolfo looked at his father.

"Not now, papi." And the weary man walked toward his room. But Grandpapi was right behind him, shouting and carrying on.

Manny flung his pillow across the room. It hit his desk and knocked down his lamp, busting the bulb. Manny watched the broken bulb shatter into a million pieces. His room was still again, only the sound of the newly installed security cameras softly twirling to be heard. Looking up at the nearest camera, Manny saw that its lens was focused on him. The thirteen-year-old clenched his teeth together so hard, they almost cracked. He had to get out of here before he tore his room apart. Marching across his room, Manny threw open his window and hopped on the ledge. But then the teen realized his belt was no longer with him. Cursing loudly, he jumped back into his room. Landing hard but ignoring his pain, Manny stood there. His house disgusted him.

He just wanted to get away until he calmed down. That was no longer an option. He was stuck here and here was where his anger was. With no other outlet to his fury, Manny walked to his bed and grabbed a pillow. He yelled into it until his lungs hurt; he squeezed it until his fingers were numb. It did nothing to damper his anger.

In the furthest corner of the Rivera house, La Cortina watched the drama and chaos unfold. The shadowy villainess felt disappointed in Rodolfo. The superhero was supposed to be so angry that he'd begin yelling at his son, but the man didn't. Apparently there was enough room in Rodolfo's heart for his son's shortcomings. This was bad for the long-running plan. Alejandra Marengo gave a soft, frustrated grunt before she slipped under the crack of the door. She must deliberate with the Titanium Titan before moving on. La Cortina teleported to their hideout.

The morning sun was just coming up over the horizon of the Miracle City Bay; hardly a ripple disturbed the cloudy green water. Shining with the dawn light, a familiar bronze statue stood in the distance: the Peoples' Statue of one of the people. This political bronze served as La Cortina and the Titanium Titan's hideout. The statue was so obvious, seeing that when the two supervillains attacked Miracle City before, the bronze was their hideout. It was too perfect and so, they used it again.

Inside the lair affectionately called "Fancy Headquarters in a Big Fist", the Titanium Titan was slumped over a desk, rubbing his temples. The four prisoners that they had captured were loud and annoying. They were constantly bickering or calling for help. Miles away from anyone, there was no chance for a rescue. But did they believe that? Nope. And so now the Titan was stuck with the prisoners until Alejandra came back.

"Help! Help!" Maria Rivera called out as she writhed in the wrist restraints holding her to the metal wall. Her throat was raw and she was very thirsty but that never silenced her. "Can anyone hear me?!"

There was a groan from another prisoner.

"For the _love_ of guacamole, lady… shut up." It was Dr. Chipotle Jr. "No one is going to hear us."

The curvy, wavy haired woman glared at the little supervillain boy.

"You may have given up, but I haven't." Maria returned. "Someone _will_ hear us and then White Pantera and El Tigre will save us."

Municipal President Rodriguez groaned.

"I've been here for three dias. Dere is no escape from dis place." The short political figure grunted.

"Dr. Chipotle Sr. still cannot believe dat you and La Cortina are back in town, Titanium Titan." Dr. Chipotle Sr. growled at the ex-sidekick. "You were finished. Coming back to Miracle City will only shame you more."

The Titan scoffed.

"Says the prisoner." He coolly responded after rolling his eyes. "Now shut up."

"You are even more despicable that I thought, Titan!" Maria spat. "Once Rodolfo and Manny see through your scheme, they will rescue us and lock you up for good."

"How do you know they're thinking straight enough to save you?" The Titan got up from his chair. Maria glared at the short man as he walked up to her.

The woman gritted her teeth.

"My son and ex-husband WILL save us!" Maria was adamant about that. "They're superheroes and they will always come through!"

The Titanium Titan chuckled.

"By now, Rodolfo and Manny are so confused and angry that they won't be able to save themselves." The tiny ex-sidekick responded. "And me and La Cortina are just getting started. By the time we're finished with the Rivera family, there will be nothing left of their spirits. They will be hollow, empty husks that will be begging Alejandra to take their essences."

Maria shook her head.

"You will not succeed!" She told him. "Rodolfo and Manny are strong! Our family is strong! You will not be able to break them! You are still the co-dependant mess of a man whose anger and jealously will only lead to your downfall. Alejandra Marengo is no different."

That made a sneer cross the Titanium Titan's face. Maria barely had a second to blink when the ex-sidekick formed his hand into a sharp blade and pressed it to her throat.

"There will be nothing left of Rodolfo and Manny. And YOU will perish with them, Maria." The Titan hissed dangerously. "My revenge will come full circle once ALL of the Riveras are wiped out. Including you. If it wasn't for you walking into Rodolfo's life, we'd still be best friends."

"You've always had evil in your heart, Titan." Maria returned, her head tilted upwards as a thin line of blood kissed the Titan's blade. "Rodolfo would have eventually seen you for what you really are."

The Titanium Titan grunted in frustration but he dropped his blade.

"You speak as if Rodolfo is completely innocent." The ex-sidekick said. "He turned his back on me. I would have done anything for him, but when he met you, I mattered no more."

Maria's eyes softened at the angry man.

"Being a father is more important to Rodolfo than crime-fighting." She returned. The Titan narrowed his red eyes at her.

"And that will be his last mistake." Then he turned to walk back to his desk. "He and Manny won't survive the week."

With a gasp from Maria following him, the ex-sidekick sat back down at his desk. Now a fog of gloom hung over his head. His fingers itched to wrap around Manny's throat. If that little _niñato_ hadn't have come along, Rodolfo wouldn't have turned his back on their partnership. They'd still be fighting crime together. But Maria made the whisper of guilt grow inside of him. His anger and betrayal justified his actions but he felt heaviness on his chest now.

Suddenly there was a blast of smoke in front of him. La Cortina appeared.

"Buenos dias, mi amore." Alejandra said as she crouched on the desk. A chorus of gasps came from Maria, the Chipotles and Municipal President Rodriguez.

The Titan sat up and gave a grin.

"Welcome back, Alejandra." He returned. As her costume retreated off of her face, Alejandra crawled forward and braced her boyfriend's wrists to his chair's armrests.

The woman leaned in and kissed the Titan. The ex-sidekick felt her costume wander off of her body and start to wrap around his arms. It was a sort of love-kiss he got from Alejandra's alien costume. It took nearly six months before the alien entity warmed up to him. Without its permission, he couldn't come near his girlfriend. But just as soon as they'd begun, Alejandra pulled away.

"I've got some good news, Titan." The shadowy villainess gave a dirty smile as she sprawled out on his desk. "Manny and Frida are forbidden from seeing each other."

An evil smile crossed the Titan's face.

"Bueno. Anything else?" He grinned. Alejandra nodded.

"Rodolfo took away Manny's El Tigre belt." She answered. "It's punishment from being out "all night"."

Then her face fell a little as she sat up on the desk.

"I've just come from the Rivera hacienda. We have a little snag in our plan, Titan." Alejandra added. The Titan's eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"What is wrong?" He questioned. Alejandra sighed.

"It's Rodolfo." A hateful sneer curled onto the Titan's face. "He's proving more long-suffering than we thought. Manny and Grandpapi are playing into our trap but Rodolfo just will not give under the pressure."

The Titanium Titan leaned back in his seat as he pondered this dilemma. Rodolfo seemed to have an infinite amount of patience and mercy in his heart. It was pretty hard to get under the hero's skin.

Alejandra watched the thoughtful look on the Titan's face. It made her own mouth curl into a scowl. Rodolfo's kindheartedness would not do. Though the man was depressed and questioning his skills as a father, he was still far away from being broken. Now the two villains had to pour on the pressure.

"I could tempt Manny and make him disobey Rodolfo." The villainess suddenly voiced, an idea popping into her head. "I can get him to steal his belt and see Frida again."

"Then perhaps Municipal President Rodriguez could up the anti." The ex-sidekick then voiced. La Cortina smiled.

"Within the next twenty-four hours, it would be wise to put the final pieces of our plan together." She returned. The Titan nodded.

"I long to see Rodolfo and Manny in pieces at my feet." The ex-sidekick gave an evil grin. A similar expression crossed Alejandra's face.

"As do I, Titan. I will go back to the Rivera household and push things forward. How good are you at impersonating a supervillain?" The shady villainess questioned. The Titan rolled his red eyes.

"Why do you ask questions you all ready know the answers to?" He responded. Alejandra laughed.

"Just what I wanted to hear, mi amore." She returned. Hopping off his desk, she kissed the Titan on the forehead before walking over to the prisoners.

Maria Rivera, the Chipotles and Municipal President Rodriguez froze with fear as they heard the powerful woman walk toward them. A pair of purple eyes cut through the dark shadow before a black living shadow stepped into the light.

"Very good. You all played your part perfectly." The shadow's voice was gravely, hoarse and echoed. Its purple eyes were slightly wide, indicating that the creature was pleased.

"You evil monster!" Maria exclaimed. "You will not get away with this!"

The costume retreated off of Alejandra's face revealing her unnaturally purple eyes.

"We have all ready." The villainess returned. Her haunting purple eyes spoke volumes of the bloodlust in her heart.

Maria's chest tightened as tears brimmed her brown eyes.

"No! Please! My son and husband are innocent! I beg you! Do not hurt them!" The woman could not hold back tears. La Cortina smiled at Maria.

An inky black tentacle floated into the light and hovered right before Maria.

"It nearly breaks my heart to see you like this, Maria." Alejandra voiced, her tentacle gently snaking under the woman's chin and bringing her face upwards. Maria locked eyes with the villainess.

Then another ribbon of darkness shot through the woman's body, passing into the wall. Maria gasped as she felt the chill of the shadow inside of her. Alejandra merely grinned.

"Your boy and _ex_-husband are as good as dead, Maria." The villainess added. "For my revenge to be complete there will be nothing left."

And then the tentacle pulsed. Maria's essence was sucked out and her body fell limp in her restraints. Alejandra couldn't keep a smile from her face as she withdrew her shadows from her latest victim's body.

"You loathsome creature!" Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s voice cut through the silence. "She was helpless!"

La Cortina turned and looked at the man.

"She served her purpose and you three will do the same." She returned. Three dark tentacles rose from her inky dress and sped into the Chipotles' and Rodriguez's chests.

With a pulse, Alejandra drew enough of their essence to keep them unconscious. Pulling her shadows out of their bodies, the woman felt revitalized. When she opened her eyes, she found the Titanium Titan looked up at her.

"Why did you do that?" He questioned, glancing over at Maria. The woman was nothing more than a living husk.

Alejandra narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend.

"I took her essence." She answered. The Titan's expression was straight.

"Why her entire essence?" The ex-sidekick questioned. Alejandra groaned.

"I need the energy. Besides, I don't want to see her sniveling." The shadowy villainess returned. The Titanium Titan gave her a deep look.

"Is that guilt, Alejandra?" He asked. Suddenly the Titan was slammed off of his feet and pinned to a wall.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Alejandra glowering at him; a tentacle of shadow wrapped around him.

"Don't." She growled. "I have no feeling of guilt. Rodolfo and Manny must pay for everything they've done. I don't want to have this discussion again, Titan."

La Cortina dropped her partner.

"Stick to the schedule. Rodolfo WILL break." And with that, the shadowy supervillainess teleported. The Titanium Titan got to his feet and watched the waft of smoke drift through the room.

His eyes came to Maria's limp body. Exhaling, the Titan pushed the feeling of guilt to the back of his mind. Manny and Rodolfo brought this upon themselves.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	8. Falla

Hello everyone! CJzilla here with another update. Sorry for the wait. In this chapter Manny learns that the Chipotles are "dead" and chaos ensues. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: If you want to see some El Tigre fan art please visit my deviantArt profile at cjzilla dot deviantArt dot com.**

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Chapter 8

_Falla_

It was Saturday morning and the streets of Miracle City were silent. No one in the city had good reason to be up at an early hour. Manny remained in his bedroom, looking out the window and watching the sun come up. He was grounded and not happy about it. In his room, Manny had a front row seat to see his life unraveling. First Emiliano Suárez banned his friendship with Frida, then Grandpapi lied and finally his own father took his El Tigre belt away. Manny felt rile burn through his body and tighten his chest. They didn't believe him; Grandpapi and Rodolfo didn't believe him. For a moment, Manny wished he could leave his room just to yell at his grandfather. Grandpapi chose to lose his memory when Manny needed his help the most! What could the old man gain from lying?! And now Manny was grounded and belt-less because of it.

"This is basuar." The thirteen-year-old hissed again.

La Cortina slipped through the open kitchen window and stepped into the Rivera family hacienda. The shadowy villainess stopped and listened to the house. All was silent. Glancing up at the nearest twittering surveillance camera, La Cortina smiled before nodding at it. Slipping into the shadows, the inky villainess slithered through the house to find each of the Riveras. Manny's room was just down the hall; it was her first stop. La Cortina stopped at the boy's room and melted through the door's crack. Slinking to a corner of the room, she stood. Seeing that Manny was awake and still confined to his bedroom, the villainess was pleased. She slid off to find Grandpapi.

Across the house, the shadowy woman peeked through the cracked door and into the elderly man's room. Grandpapi was sleeping; his pets, however, knew that she was in the house. Little Burro and Senor Chappi both hissed and stood from lying on the bed. La Cortina retreated, silently closing the door with a tentacle. She'd let Grandpapi sleep; he being one less distraction to her goal. Finally, La Cortina zipped to Rodolfo's room.

Alejandra Marengo's body cast a shadow as she opened the door. She barely set a foot inside the room when she heard the shower running. Good. Rodolfo was not here. She then set to work finding the El Tigre belt. Carefully checking the man's dresser, bed and chair, the enchanted belt was no where to be seen. La Cortina then focused on Rodolfo. He was smart; smart enough to keep the El Tigre belt away from Manny as he disciplined him. So now there was only one possible location for the belt. She glided into the bathroom.

Rodolfo held his forehead against the cold shower tiles and let the hot water wash over his tired muscles. His eyes ached from all the tears he wouldn't allow himself to cry in front of his family. The past day had hit him in the heart. Being a superhero Rodolfo was used to aiding with other people's problems, but when it came to fixing his own, he felt helpless.

When Maria left him, he failed to resolve and fix his relationship with his beloved wife. Now he felt powerless to help his budding son from straying down the wrong path. Taking away Manny's El Tigre belt came too little too late. Rodolfo should have been with his son but he was too busy being someone else's hero; being White Pantera. Had he been there for Manny, would things have turned out different for his son?

Then a large shadow crossed the light. Rodolfo's eyes snapped open and his hand thrust the curtain to the side. Expecting to see someone taller, the only thing he saw was Little Burro, sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor. Rodolfo blinked as the small donkey just gave him a clueless look. Wasn't the door closed? Huffing sharply, he pulled close the shower curtain and continued with his shower. It was nothing.

Little Burro trotted out of the bathroom. Once inside the darkened room, the donkey's body shifted. The animal's grey fur became black and inky as La Cortina's form began to take shape. The shadowy villainess stood in the empty room. She reached to the front of her dark dress and pulled Manny's El Tigre belt from the shadow fabric. Smiling and clutching her prize, La Cortina slipped into the kitchen.

Manny sat at the edge of his bed, carelessly flicking through the homework that Frida had brought him yesterday. At least it was something to pass the time. Perhaps his father would let him celebrate Dia de los Bibliotecarios and not be cooped up in his room. The political holiday was tomorrow; landing on a Sunday. There was some hope to the crumby weekend he'd had so far. Suddenly a waft of donuts reached his nose. The thirteen-year-old boy inhaled the sweet smell of fresh, warm donuts as he felt his stomach cramp with hunger. Manny hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. A breakfast of donuts sounded perfect. Getting to his feet, Manny peeked out of his room. There was no one in the kitchen yet the coffee pot was running. The words of his father still ringing in his ears, Manny risked further punishment to eat.

There was a box of assorted donuts on the table. Manny grabbed two pastries and immediately wolfed them. Grabbing two more, he felt the edge of his hunger taken off. Over his heavy chewing, something else caught Manny's attention. It was the TV and more specifically, the local news. Walking into the living room, the boy caught the latest soccer score before there was another news update.

"Miracle City is still stunned with the outcome of yesterday's chemical fire that destroyed half of the city's docks." A curvy newswoman spoke to the screen with a serious expression on her face. "The Miracle City Fire Department has confirmed that the fire started at the lair of two dangerous supervillains: Dr. Chipotle Sr. and Dr. Chipotle Jr. As firefighters were first on the scene, El Tigre appeared and did his part to help. But it was not enough. Authorities have confirmed that both super-criminals perished in the fire. Though it is unknown what triggered the fire, authorities agreed that if prompt action was taken, no lives would have been lost."

Manny stood there; frozen. The donut in his mouth suddenly turned to ash as his fear was realized. The Chipotles were lost. The boy's breaths quickened, his legs went to jelly and pain stabbed his chest. Manny's mouth opened, though nothing came out but a shallow wheeze. It was then that his world seemed to fold and give way under all of his shortcomings.

The teen ran; bolting into the kitchen. It had to be a dream; another nightmare torturing him with failure. Suddenly, Manny ran into a chair that was suddenly in his path. Both he and the wooden family heirloom crashed to the floor. The pain of the armrest thrust into his stomach told Manny that he was not dreaming. Pulling himself off of the floor, something caught his eye. There, draped over the felled chair, was his El Tigre belt! Dad must have accidentally left it out.

There was a whirlwind of pros and cons that flew through Manny's head. Rodolfo would be angry and hurt, but this was no longer about the temptation to disobey his father. Manny saw his way _out_ of the house; out of his crushing pain and failure. Faster than he thought possible, the teen snatched the enchanted belt from the floor, slapped it onto his waist and spun the buckle.

In a flash of enchanted green light, Manny became El Tigre. The distraught boy scrambled out of the nearest window, tears coming from his eyes. His heart and mind was set on only _one_ destination: Frida's house.

La Cortina slithered out from behind the television and poked her head into the kitchen. Manny took the bait and his family was screaming toward a swift end. The villainess smiled and followed. Knowing Rodolfo and Grandpapi, she and the Titanium Titan had to put their next move into action quickly. Manny was panic-stricken and not thinking clearly; he couldn't have been easier prey. Gliding out of the window Manny fled through, La Cortina opened her arms and her costume formed dark wings. She would follow at a distance and push Manny toward his next mistake.

Frida Suárez was in her room and on her bed, staring at the rock and roll posters on her ceiling. The blue-haired girl was trying to find ways to rescue her beloved friendship with Manny. Frida knew her parents well. Emiliano was good at holding a grudge but he did love her dearly. Maybe her father would come to his senses and see that this cruel restriction was only hurting her than protecting her. Ripped up inside, the girl rolled over to her stomach. Clutching her pillow, she felt her eyes sting and then tears follow through. Her salty droplets dotted her pillow and wet her face. It was unfair, it was cruel and it was short-sighted. Without Manny, there was not much purpose in her life.

Suddenly she heard a thump on her window. Frida recognized that sound from anywhere. Jumping from her bed, her feet had barely hit the floor when Manny shoved open her locked window. The glass shattered with a loud noise and Frida flinched. Her parents surely would have heard that.

"Dude! You just-!" And then she saw the look in the boy's eyes. Frida had never seen her best friend in such a state. "Manny…? What's wrong?"

Manny just shook his head as tears slid down his cheeks. He bit his lip to stop a sob from escaping. Without a word, the thirteen-year-old boy extended his hand. With her punishment but an echo in the back of her mind, Frida ran across her room and grabbed his hand. And both slipped out of the house aimed for a lonely spot to clear some thoughts.

Manny carried Frida to a quiet building top far away from their homes. Both teens sat there in silence, only Manny's occasional sniffles to be heard. Frida watched her friend with concern in her eyes. A flurry of questions was burning her tongue but the boy had not been able to tell her a word since he showed up at her window. Frida could only hold her hand to his shoulder and watch him cry.

"Frida." Manny suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse from his bitter crying. He held Frida's attention even though he paused for a lengthy time. "Am I a hero?"

The girl gave a little laugh before she scoffed.

"Of course you are!" Frida threw her arms in the air. Manny held his eyes forward, unable to look at her.

"Am I a _real_ hero? Like my dad?" The boy whispered. Frida swallowed.

"You are Manny Rivera. My best friend and the finest hero that I've ever met." The girl responded in her normal, cheery tone. Manny choked out a sarcastic laugh.

"I'm not a-… Dad never would have let this happen." He hushed. Frida dropped her hand from his shoulder and felt fear rise inside of her.

"Not let _what_ happen, Manny?" She questioned on a whisper. Finally Manny looked at her.

Anguish seemed to drown his green eyes. Sleeplessness, self-loathing and a bitter anger gave his face lackluster; the REAL fun-loving Manny was far away as the boy in front of her came to grips with his failures.

"The Chipotles are dead, Frida." Surprised, the girl merely blinked. Manny couldn't keep his eyes on her any longer.

Hanging his head, the boy looked off as more tears streaked down his face. Frida felt her throat start to close and the air suddenly felt thin. The Chipotles? Dr. Chipotle Sr. and Dr. Chipotle Jr.? Gone?

"When-… when did you find this out?" The girl questioned quietly. Manny closed his eyes, more tears forced out of his vision.

"Right before I came to see you." He answered. "I could have… saved them if I was a real hero."

"You ARE a hero, Manny!" The boy felt Frida put her hand on his. "Don't go blaming yourself for something you couldn't prevent! You had no idea there'd be a fire!"

"If I was just a couple minuets faster, I could have rescued those two idiot scientist from… burning alive." Manny returned. "That's what heroes do, Frida; they save lives. Real heroes are not clumsy screw ups. True heroes prevent hurt instead of causing it. Heroes can save anyone! Especially FRIENDSHIPS!"

He didn't realize that he'd started yelling until he saw the look on Frida's face. More tears stung his eyes.

"I can't save… my friendship with you, Frida." Manny whispered. "What kind of a hero can't even save a friendship? I'm no hero."

Bowing his head, the super-powered teenager shut his eyes. He was NO hero. He was just a teenage screw up with too much power and not enough self-discipline. Emiliano Suarez was right; he was just a punk with no self-control and walking a path that Frida could not follow.

Then Manny felt a cool hand on his wet chin. Frida brought his head up and looked into his eyes.

"You're MY hero, Manny." The girl spoke firmly. "You are there for me when no one else is. If that's not a hero, I don't know what is."

Their friendship was torn to pieces but to Frida, there was still hope. Even with the whole world pressing down on them, Frida showed herself an invaluable friend. And that she would remain Manny's best friend even if their lives were turned upside-down.

Finally, Manny's chest lightened enough to where he could take in a good breath. The boy grabbed her hand and held it against his face. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed how cool her skin was against his. The nip of his failure was gone and he felt his heart start to beat again. It was poetic, much like the words his father would speak when he thought of his wife. Truly, Frida was his greatest supporter. Then he heard her giggle.

"Can I have my hand back?" Frida asked. Manny was cuddling her hand.

He immediately released her hand and felt his face get hot. Chuckling warily, the two teens avoided each other's eyes. Finally Manny stood.

"C'mon, Frida." He held out his hand to her. "Let's get you home before your dad buries you alive and feeds me to his dogs."

Frida laughed and took his hand. She was brought to her feet with little effort on her part. Bringing the girl to his side, Manny shot his grabble to the nearest building and slowly tethered down to the street. The teen super gently let his friend to the sidewalk before his feet met the ground. Frida and Manny beamed shyly at each other as Manny's claw rewound.

They'd barely taken one step before a newspaper dispenser was thrown across the street. The metal and glass box hit Manny in the side and blasted him off of his feet. He met a brick wall with rude impact. Frida gasped and was immediately at her friend's side.

"Manny!" She grabbed him and tried to pull him to his feet. Finally, their attacker cackled.

"Oye, El Tigre!" It was El Oso, a bear-based thug that was mysteriously spoiling for a fight. "Chu needs to keep chur ojos ups an' off of chur lady friend!"

Of all the rotten luck! Manny felt unconsciousness threatening to take him as he felt Frida try to pull him from the sidewalk. He felt El Oso's heavy footfalls shake the concrete. He was coming closer!

"Get LOST, El Oso!" Frida threatened. Manny struggled to get to his knees as the thug just laughed.

"Make me, mija." Manny heard Frida squeak as El Oso pushed her aside. Then the supervillain grabbed the boy by the back of the shirt.

A hand wrapped around him and began to squeeze. The constriction was enough to zap Manny awake. With his vision clearing, he looked up. El Oso was smiling down at him, an evil smile spread over his furry face.

"Dere's been talk on de streets, El Tigre." The thug's face suddenly went dangerously straight. "And I's be talkin' about de science men, man."

"The-… the Chipotles." The teen grunted. El Oso's grip tightened.

"Sí. And de rest of de villains doesn't like what chu did, Tigre." Oso growled. "Chu let dem die, man."

"It wasn't my fault!" Manny wheezed. Oso laughed.

Then the boy's face hit the sidewalk. Immediately his nose cried out in pain before El Oso spoke again.

"Chu killed dem, El Tigre." The supercriminal returned. "Chu let dem die."

Pick off of the sidewalk, Manny was facing the thug again.

"I'm here to return de favor, man." El Oso's smile widened. The next thing Manny knew, he was flying through the air.

Frida watched El Oso throw her best friend. Manny hit the pavement several times before he crashed into a car. In a shower of busted glass, the boy didn't move.

"MANNY!" She cried and took a step after her friend. Then El Oso turned his attention to her.

The supervillain plucked her from the ground and laughed as she kicked her feet and swung punches at him.

"No valor mi tiempo." El Oso gave a jovial laugh. "Tell me, niña. What would chu dos if I did dis…?"

Then he reached up at slid her goggles off of her head. Frida gasped as he took her goggles and steadily crushed them in his fist.

"NO! STOP!" She pleaded.

Manny's mind was swimming as he peeled himself out of the car. His nose was bleeding, his back was KILLING him and his arm was burning. Then he heard Frida cry out. Looking up, he saw his best friend in El Oso's clutches as she watched in horror as the thug crushed her beloved goggles. Fury pulled Manny to his feet and his claws from his gloves.

El Oso laughed and laughed as Frida squirmed. Just crushing her goggles and she'd gone all to pieces. He dangled the mangled pieces of her goggles in front of her.

"Now chur glasses are porqueria, mija." El Oso laughed watching tears come from the girl's eyes. "And dere's no'ting dat-"

Then he heard an El Tigre roar. The thug barely had time to look up when he was tackled. With the girl still in his hand, Oso saw the furious teen super raise his claws above his head.

"LET HER GO!" And Manny brought down his claws. With a clean swipe, Frida was free but El Oso's arm was…

The thug screamed out in horror and pain as he clutched his horrific wound to his chest.

"AI, MAN!" El Oso cried. Reality then hit Manny.

Fear came to the young boy's face.

"El Oso! I'm-!" Manny reached out to the supervillain. El Oso crawled away.

"Get AWAY FROM ME!" He shouted. Manny's mouth was on the ground as a crowd started to gather.

He heard gasps. The boy spun and saw a dozen people standing around, terror written on their faces. Then his eyes traced to Frida. She was staring wide-eyed at El Oso as he writhed in pain.

"Manny." She whispered, looking up at him. "What have you done?"

And then there was a strange sound that filled the street. Manny heard his name again.

"_Manny_!" It was White Pantera. The superhero zipped up to his son. "You-!"

But his sentence was cut off when he saw El Oso on the ground, clutching his heinous wound. Rodolfo snapped his eyes to his son, alarm all over his face. Soon police sirens sounded and another nail was driven into the Rivera coffin.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	9. Engaño

Hola! CJzilla here with another update! In this chapter, La Cortina and the Titanium Titan put the last piece of their plan to break the Riveras into action. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: The "dear reivewers" will be continued! After a careful search, I am not breaking any rules by doing a "dear reviewers".**

_acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks you for reviewing so loyally!_

_Moranofchaos2: I can't do much gore with a K+ rating but I'm glad it got your imagination running!_

_angel of hope: Things will get worse and then get better. And as far as La Cortina dying... you'll just have to read and find out._

_DarkAurora: Thanks for reviewing! Here's another chapter._

_eltigre221: I think I'll post chapters on DA if the FanFictionLand server is down. I'm glad you liked it. Here's another chapter, amiga!_

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Chapter 9

_Engaño_

An ambulance raced down a busy city street. Cars pulled to the side and let the emergency vehicle pass. Inside was the critically injured El Oso. Paramedics rushed to stabilize the thug after El Tigre nearly took his arm off. Tourniquets were applied and a fluid drip was about to be administered. The paramedics worked feverishly but noted that El Oso was strangely quiet. When one of the medics finally drew a needle of painkillers, he leaned in and carefully inserted it into the supervillain's arm. The hypodermic created suction and pulled some of El Oso's blood into the clear glass vial. But was no blood, instead a gray, metallic substance flooded the hypodermic. The paramedic jolted with surprise. Then his eyes gradually traced to El Oso. The bear-based villain narrowed his eyes at the medic. Then he knew something was very wrong.

El Oso sat up. Liquid metal suddenly issued from the "wound" and closed over the supposed injury. The thug said nothing as he stood and ripped of tourniquets. El Oso suddenly smiled at the bewildered paramedics. His body then turned colors; from brown to grayish-silver. El Oso lashed out with his liquid metal arms, slamming both paramedics against the walls of the vehicle. They were instantly knocked unconscious. Then the driver heard the commotion.

The ambulance driver scarcely had a moment to look in the rear-view mirror when a blast of smoke filled the cab. A second later, there was a woman in black in the seat next to him. With a smile and a bloodthirsty look in her eyes, she shoved her hand into his chest. La Cortina enjoyed the look of horror on the driver's face before she sucked out his essence. With white eyes, the man slumped over the steering wheel. Shoving the man's husk-like body out of the way, the shadowy villainess took the wheel.

Flicking off the emergency lights, La Cortina turned down a lonely alleyway and killed the engine. Slinking through the small window, she made her way to the back of the vehicle where the Titanium Titan was gathering his liquid metal.

"Are you all right, Titan?" La Cortina reassembled on the cot, looking at her lover. The Titanium Titan glanced back at her as his metal arms reformed.

He flexed a bicep and gave her a dirty smile.

"Powerful and shiny." The ex-sidekick responded. "El Tigre didn't even scratch me."

La Cortina smiled and draped her legs off of the cot.

"Well done." She congratulated. "An excellente performance. I'm very much impressed."

The Titanium Titan just grinned and zipped up to her.

"You've always like my performance, mi amore." He cooed. La Cortina giggled and blushed as he looped an arm around her waist.

"But we both have one last performance before out revenge is complete." She pulled the Titan close. "One last before the Riveras are totally broken."

They embraced and kissed before La Cortina teleported. The Titan's next stop: City Hall; La Cortina's: Frida's house.

Frida was inside a policia car, getting a lift back to her home. Agente Sanchez was the first officer at the scene and by her side as he excused Manny and White Pantera. She was glad Manny and Rodolfo left; seeing El Oso getting hoisted into the ambulance was as surreal as it was terrifying. And now, as twisted as it sounded, Frida just wanted to be back home with her family; she even wanted a hug from her father.

The vehicle pulled down her neighborhood and came to a stop in front of her house. Sure enough, all of Frida's family was waiting for her. Emiliano looked angry enough to ground her for eternity. Officer Sanchez barely had time to unlock the doors of his car when the thirteen-year-old girl scrambled out.

"Papa!" Frida cried, running down the sidewalk to her family. Her father was the first to run to her.

"Frida!" He snarled but was surprised when his daughter gave him a hug. His heart softened a little. "What were you thinking, hija?!"

The girl pressed her face into her dad's chest.

"Manny needed my help." Frida answered, remembering the distraught look on her friends face. Emiliano gnarled.

"We saw that the window was broken. That undisciplined _delincuente_! He _kidnapped_ you!" The thirteen-year-old girl looked up at her father, ready to defend her friend. But then a scream rang out.

It was Officer Sanchez. As the Suárez family whipped their heads up, something flipped Sanchez's police car, with the terrified officer still inside it. A plume of black smoke came from spilt oil inside the still-running engine of the overturned car. But out from the darkened haze, they all saw El Tigre emerge. Frida gasped as Manny stalked toward her house. Emiliano let his daughter to the ground and pushed her behind him.

"El Tigre!" The chief of police fumed, rage in his single blue eye. "You are BEGGING to be arrested, aren't you?!"

The thirteen-year-old super said nothing but narrowed his eyes; still he came closer.

"I have been patient with you since you are my daughter's amigo but you have _crossed the line_ when you kidnapped my daughter!" Emiliano walked forward, ready to defend his family. "You have the-!"

WHAM! El Tigre shot out his claws, catching the man in the chest and blowing him off of his feet. Emiliano fell to the sidewalk with Manny's strong hand gripping his police jacket. Suddenly El Tigre's claws turned to black and seeped into his chest. Emiliano felt an otherworldly chill fill his body before he felt incredibly weak. Reality swirled and darkened before his mind slipped into unconsciousness.

Frida saw Manny push her father to the sidewalk and then toss him across the yard. Horrified but in disbelief, she couldn't move as her best friend steadily walked toward her. Then her mother and sisters screamed. Manny shot his fists over Frida's head, aiming for her mother and sisters. And then there was silence.

Manny was suddenly standing in front of Frida, a dangerous look on his face. She didn't move as he opened his claws and raised them above his head. She closed her eyes and never felt the impact.

La Cortina had a feast. Frida's father, mother and two sisters. Now she was siphoning off enough of the blue-haired girl's essence to keep her unconscious. Pulling her inky fingers from the teen's shoulder, La Cortina's true shape emerged. The shadow villainess watched Frida's body drop to the ground. Though another essence would really hit the spot, La Cortina was not going to take all of Frida's quintessence; at least not yet. The inky villainess hoped that by impersonating El Tigre, she'd drive a wedge deeper into Frida and Manny's friendship.

But there was little time to lick her shadowy fingers. La Cortina knew that her revenge was not complete until the Riveras were consumed. Picking up Frida, she teleported back to the lair.

News of El Oso's heinous injuries quickly spread over Miracle City. El Tigre a.k.a. Manny Rivera had lashed out at the bear-based thug and nearly cut his arm completely off. Suddenly the terrible events concerning the superhero family was brought to the fore again. The populace was quaking in fear. Were the Riveras to be trusted or had they changed from saviors to powerful villains against Miracle City?

In insides of the Rivera family casa were tense and fragile. There was a new source of dread which put the family in an odd position. Rodolfo usually took the lead in making peace and calming the environment but since he was the cause and not the mediator, the atmosphere was especially volatile.

Manny paced inside his casa and watched his father sit on the couch, head in his hand. The teen pleaded to his father and told his side of the story a million times. Rodolfo, however, would say nothing in return. The man was eerily silent and the air around him was thickly hurt and angry. Even Grandpapi dared not to say a word as he looked on.

Manny stopped in front of his father and wrung his hands together.

"I didn't mean to!" He implored. "Frida was in _danger_! El Oso was going to _hurt_ her!"

Rodolfo was like a statue; neither acknowledging but yet not completely ignoring his son. He simply sat there, mask off of his face and head in his hand; he was either praying or crying. Manny was desperate for his father.

"Papa, _please_!" The young boy was in agony. "Talk to me. I'm right here!"

Again, nothing. The boy's chest was tight and his throat was raw from pleading.

"I didn't mean to…" Manny whispered, feeling tears coming to his eyes. "It wasn't my fault."

Suddenly Rodolfo pulled his face out of his hands, making Grandpapi sit straight with nervousness. What Manny saw on his father's face ripped him to the core. Rodolfo stood, his heroic expression marred with anguish and anger.

"_Not_ your fault?" Rodolfo growled in a fury that Manny had never seen before. "You disobeyed me. You stole your belt, left the house and hurt another human horribly! It's nobody's fault but YOURS, niño! This would never have happened if you were not so disrespectful, disobedient and so BENT on your own selfishness! Because of your foolishness, El Oso is in the hospital!"

Manny kept his eyes on his father even though his tears were making it difficult to see.

"I'm sorry, papa." He whispered through a sob.

"That does not work anymore, Manuel!" Rodolfo yelled. "You've lied to me so much that I don't know what the truth is! I don't know what else to do with you! By breaking every rule set in front of you, you have shown that you've no love for our name, me or this _family_!"

Manny felt like a beaten dog; distressed, terrified and wounded. It wasn't true! Manny _loved_ his family! He loved his _father_! The LAST thing he wanted to do was hurt him!

"What would you have me do now, Manny?" Rodolfo voiced. "What you've done I can no longer protect you from. And you have brought SHAME this family!"

Just then the phone rang. Rodolfo ignored the ringing telephone as he turned his back on his son and let his face fall into his hand. Now was not the time to answer phones or worry about anything else but Manny. But the answering machine changed Rodolfo's mind.

"Pantera! Dis is Municipal President Rodriguez! PICK UP DE PHONE!" It was Rodriguez. Rodolfo growled and spun.

Walking into the kitchen, the hero picked up the phone and set it against his head.

"This is a bad time, sir." Rodolfo hissed. There was a loud, enraged scoff on the other line.

"Chu BET dis is a bad time! _¡El peor de los tiempos!_ De WHOLE city is in a panic, Rivera!" Rodriguez shouted. "What chur son just did is UNACCEPTABLE! It is de last straw! Chu an' chur delinquent son report to mi oficina in _diez_ minutes or I will send de policia to GET YOU!"

Click. The official hung up. Now Rodolfo was scared. He slowly placed the phone back onto its receiver and sat in one of the kitchen's chairs. With a hand over his mouth in an effort to calm his breathing, the man imagined what was waiting for him and Manny at Rodriguez's office. Rodolfo placed a hand on his chest. He heard the crackle of paper inside his suit jacket's pocket. A wave of solemnity washed over Rodolfo as he pulled the paper from his jacket. Glancing at it, he swallowed. It was the custody document Maria had given him. Within the careful folds was Rodolfo's signature. He'd signed the document and awarded Maria custody of his son.

"Rodolfo?" He heard his father's voice from the kitchen's doorway. Rodolfo looked up. "What's going on?"

The man glanced down at the custody document before a firm look came over his face. Tucking the papers back into his jacket, Rodolfo stood.

"Rodriguez wants to see Manny and I, father." He grunted in an angry tone. Pushing past Grandpapi, Rodolfo walked into the living room.

Manny was on the couch, head in his hands. The boy looked up when he sensed his father standing in front of him. Then he saw the White Pantera mask over his father's face and his El Tigre belt in Rodolfo's hand.

"This is the last time I am permitting you to wear this, Manny." The man said in a cold, straightforward voice. "Because of what you did, Rodriguez is demanding audience. Suit up."

Manny and Rodolfo Rivera were escorted through the City Hall building by members of the policia. Strangely, their mystical items of power, White Pantera's Bronze Boots of Truth and Manny's El Tigre belt were allowed. Ushered quickly through the halls, they were guided to Rodriguez's office. Pushed inside, the doors were hastily closed behind them. Rodriguez was seated at his desk and met both supers with a furious scowl.

"We-" Rodolfo began. But Rodriguez held out his hand as he jumped off of his chair.

The tiny man marched over to them. He looked at them with steely, angry eyes before he spoke.

"El Oso's arm had to be amputated." Rodriguez frankly stated. Manny immediately felt his stomach lurch and all blood rush from his face. "What chu did has made panic flow t'rough de city! El Oso is critically _herido_ while de peoples _fear_ chu even more den yesterday!"

Their hearts dropped to the lowest pit of their stomachs.

"Dere is no'ting more I's can do." Rodriguez added, giving a disgusted wave of his hand. "I am forced to order both of chus to give up chur super powers."

Rodolfo's eyes widened while his son gave a loud gasp.

"WHAT?!" Manny shouted.

Rodriguez just shook his head.

"Chu two is now considered no longer fit to be supers." The official cut him off. "Chu is too careless and dangerous. De people have spoken. Dere is nothing more I can do."

Rodolfo felt his nausea return; he was up most of last night vomiting. But in that time he made this decision after carefully thinking it over. In order to be a better father, White Pantera must become no more. His alter ego took up too much of his time, too much of his attention. If he'd paid more heed to what Manny was becoming, none of this would have happened. It was a mistake Rodolfo would not make again.

Manny's mouth was on the floor as he stood in front of Rodriguez, shocked and confused. He had to surrender his belt and give up being El Tigre?! It was unthinkable! If El Tigre and White Pantera were no more, who'd protect the city? Then the city would truly become overwhelmed with crime! It was impossible to part with his superhero identity!

Suddenly, Manny saw his father walk over to the desk and lean on it. Then, to his horror, Rodolfo slipped off his Bronze Boots of Truth and set them on the desk. Pulling his White Pantera mask off of his tired and sad face, Rodolfo tossed it on the magical boots.

"Dad…!" Manny whispered. "What are you doing?!"

"What I should have done a long time ago." Rodolfo responded, looking at his son. "Becoming a better father."

Turmoil and betrayal was written all over Manny's face. Rodriguez, however, nodded in approval. Then the official turned to the teen.

"Now you, niño." Rodriguez narrowed his eyes at Manny. The boy couldn't take his eyes off of his father.

""A _better_ father"?" Manny repeated Rodolfo's words in disbelief. He stepped toward the man, astonishment making him wobbly. "What?"

Rodolfo looked at his son, more hurt and agony over his face than ever before.

"If I had been a father instead of a superhero, maybe this never would have happened, Manny." He answered. Then he nodded at his son's belt. "It's for the best, son."

Then the teen felt anger bubble in the back of his throat.

"**NO**!" Manny pounced toward his father. Rodolfo had just a moment to jump to the side when Manny landed on the desk.

The boy looked back, glaring poison at his father; a loathsome scowl on his young face. And with that, Manny opened his Tigre claws and jumped at the window. The glass shattered and the teen super escaped.

"Manny! _Come_ back!" Rodolfo shouted after him. But the boy had grappled to the nearest building. "DON'T DO THIS!"

Manny heard his father call after him but he was not going to obey. Hurt to his core and betrayed, the teen went to the last safe place in his world; he went to find Frida.

Rodolfo watched Manny flee and knew that there would be a cruel city-wide manhunt for his young son.

"Let him go, Rodolfo." Rodriguez suddenly spoke up from behind him. "Dere's no one that can save him now."

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Wait… Rodriguez wasn't THAT tall to reach his shoulder. Spinning, he saw that Rodriguez's arm had stretched and it wasn't normal.

"No one can save chu either." Suddenly a twisted, evil smile came to the official's face. And his voice morphed. "And you've just doomed yourself."

The man watched in disbelief as Rodriguez's form melted. Suddenly he was looking into the red eyes of his ex-sidekick.

"Titan." Rodolfo whispered. The Titanium Titan cackled.

The Titanium Titan lashed out. Extending his long, liquid metal arm, the ex-sidekick cuffed Rodolfo so hard that he instantly knocked the man unconscious. Rodolfo fell with his Bronze Boots of Truth within arm's reach.

Manny ran hard and crossed the city in a surprising amount of time. His world had collapsed. His father had given up superheroing and used HIS bad behavior as the reason. Manny couldn't see out of the guilt that was weighing down on his chest right now. The boy just wanted to get somewhere safe; he wanted to be with Frida.

Dropping into Frida's room, he found the busted glass of her window was still on the floor. He filled his lungs with what felt like his last breath.

"FRIDA!" Manny called into the house. His voice echoed.

Dropping to his knees, he panted; having just ran half of the city, the teen super was winded. Then, he heard footsteps. Looking up he saw Frida run into her room with a broom and dustpan. Her blue eyes were wide.

"What?! What?!" The girl rushed. "I'm right here! Sheesh! You don't have to yell."

Manny got up from his knees and ran into her arms. Taken aback, Frida went stiff. Manny just held her. Finally the clattering of the broom and dustpan hitting the floor brought him back to reality. Be pulled away and looked her in the eye.

"Frida! My dad _gave up_ being White Pantera!" Manny rushed, his green eyes wide. Frida gasped.

"No WAY!" The girl clapped her hand over her mouth. "Why did he do that?!"

Manny's face fell drastically as he dropped his eyes to Frida's boots.

"He said to-… to-… to be a better father." The boy responded. "He's… blaming himself for what I've done."

His eyes were dry and painful. He wanted to cry but he couldn't produce tears. Frida was silent as Manny made fists.

"And it's my stupid fault!" The teen super snarled. "This whole week! I can't do anything right! And now dad's-…"

Manny swallowed, his mouth dry as the air around him felt cold.

"And it's my fault that I'm ordered to give up my El Tigre belt." He whispered, holding his arm. "Municipal President Rodriguez ordered me to."

He turned and glanced out the window.

"I wouldn't be surprised if my dad, your dad and the whole policia department kicked down your door." Manny sighed. Frida remained still but finally spoke.

"You ran?" She questioned quietly. Manny finally looked up at her.

The girl's face was straight, save for her beautiful blue eyes were wide. Manny nodded. Frida swallowed, clearly afraid.

"You have to give up your belt, Manny." She said carefully. Then she leaned closer, fear across her face. "If you ran and the policia find you here with your belt, that's going to be the end! You'll be carted off to a supervillain prison and I'll never see you again!"

Manny too became afraid. He didn't want their friendship to be broken just because he couldn't part with his belt! Again, the boy glanced at the window.

"Then I've got to get back to City Hall!" Manny stepped back toward the window. Then he felt Frida's hand on his, making him stop in his tracks.

"No! Wait. We have to be smart about this!" She told him. "Give ME your belt. When my dad and the policia come, I'll give them the belt. I don't want them to hurt you because you are still El Tigre!"

"Good idea, Frida." Manny agreed. With a flick of his belt buckle, Manny turned back into his civilian form.

Pulling the belt from the loops of his pants, he handed the mystical item of power to his best friend. Manny gave a sigh of relief. Good old Frida; _always_ looking out for him.

The girl grasped the mystical belt buckle in a fist and stared at it for a long moment. Manny quirked a brow when a smile finally spread over Frida's face.

"Thank you, El Tigre." Frida's voice suddenly changed. "Thank you for making this SO easy."

As the girl stood there, her form shifted. Frida's skin turned black before it melted. An inky shadow bled upwards and grew. It was at that moment, that Manny realized what was happening. He was watching his family's greatest enemy reveal herself! Frida's form was no more as Manny was again looking at that sinister shadow costume and into those bloodlustful purple eyes. It was La Cortina.

Alejandra Marengo saw the unadulterated surprise on Manny Rivera's face. A smile curled onto hers as her costumed formed tentacles. Stretching her arm out, she opened her hand. In her hand was the boy's powerful belt. Manny fell to his knees, realizing what he'd done.

"I accept your surrender, Manny." La Cortina told him. In that second an icy tentacle shot through his chest and everything went black.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	10. Dudas

Hola todos! CJzilla here with another SHORT chapter; I even think the "dear reviewers" are longer than the actual chapter. Sorry; this chapter DEMANDED to be seperate from the rest. In this chapter there are doubts and anger. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this town, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... review!

**AN: The "dear reviewers" will be continued! So let me get started!**

_eltigre221: I sense that you are excited... Sorry for the shortness but some chapters are like that. Here's another update for you._

_AEDReaper: Thank you for your amazing support. Here's another update!_

_DarkAurora: Nope. Not the end. It's going to get interesting now..._

_acosta perez jose ramiro: You will see the Titanium Titan's and La Cortina's worst enemy in this chapter: doubt._

_angel of hope: It may be hard to watch but stay in your seat! It's about to get interesting._

_KingOfTheLab: Don't worry about it, amigo. I knew you were busy. Here's another update!_

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Chapter 10

_Dudas_

Alejandra Marengo reappeared in an empty alleyway on a puff of black smoke. The villainess never forgot about her passenger. With a thought, her shadow dress shifted and released thirteen-year-old unconscious Manny Rivera from its dark folds. The inky supervillain grasped the small boy in her arms, carrying him gently. Unusual for someone who'd just _feasted_ on part of his essence to cradle him carefully.

Alejandra noticed the change in her emotions since taking Manny's essence. She felt a little… sorrow well up inside of her as she glazed at the boy in her arms. Manny surrendered whole-heartedly to her, like there was nearly nothing left of his spirit. Alejandra couldn't help but remember the spunky teenage boy who defeated her a year ago. But now, because of the state his life was in, Manny Rivera seemed to be a dispirited husk. It made her strangely irate and regretful for the boy to be in such a state; even before his essence was fully consumed.

"Alejandra." The woman heard her name. Picking up her head, she saw the Titanium Titan slip down a wall of a building via a liquid metal rope.

Though seeing him again, her eyes were not on her lover, but of the other he held in his free arm. Rodolfo Rivera.

The Titanium Titan's feet hit the ground as his arm reassembled. Seeing the surprised look on Alejandra's face, the ex-side kick strutted up to her with his prize.

"Mida, mi amore." Extending his liquid metal arm, he dropped Rodolfo at her feet. Alejandra stared at her idol's limp body. "As soon as he surrendered his Bronze Boots of Truth, Rodolfo was no problema."

Then the Titan noticed the look on his girlfriend's face. A question was on the tip of his tongue when two shadow tentacles Alejandra's drifted over to him. The ribbons of darkness wriggled into his grasp and took Rodolfo from his grip. Gently floating over the unconscious man over to her, Alejandra's frown turned sad. Rodolfo's heroic face was tired and his eyes puffy from his constant weeping. Even as he was out cold he looked as if he never wanted to reawaken again. Alejandra let her shadow dress grip Manny and free her hands. Extending a finger, she let her costume form it into a point. Easing finger into Rodolfo's chest, she closed her eyes and listened. Her brow furrowed tightly and after only one second of hearing Rodolfo's emotions, Alejandra pulled back her finger.

There was only one thing inside of him. Intense pain.

Alejandra suddenly huffed and let her tentacles carry Rodolfo and Manny back over to the Titanium Titan.

"Take them back to the hideout, Titan." She grunted in a gruff, business-like tone. The Titan caught Manny.

"What are you going to do?" He squeezed out before Rodolfo was heaped unceremoniously onto him. Alejandra's frown deepened.

"To get Puma Loco." She stated. The ex-sidekick finally pulled Manny and Rodolfo into his arms.

"Wait-!" He called out. But Alejandra was all ready gone; nothing but a cloud of smoke wafted through the alleyway. "_Thanks_. Ai. Mujeres!"

Grandpapi was pacing inside his hacienda. No word from Rodolfo or Manny. It'd been over an hour. The phone hadn't rung and the policia hadn't paid a visit yet. The retired supervillain wanted to believe that it was a good thing. Still, there was something off. Grandpapi could feel it in his bones.

Suddenly he heard a weird snapping. Looking to the door, he saw black ink-like ooze slide through the cracks in the front door. Then the ooze contracted, folding the door in half and sending slivers of wood into the air. The broken door was yanked off of its hinges. And then Grandpapi saw HER walk in through the doorway. The old man's voice was gone as his mouth became dry. The shadowy villainess was scowling at him.

"_Sopresa_. La Cortina is back and I'm out for revenge." La Cortina growled. Tentacles rose off of her back as she extended her fingers.

Grandpapi saw those shadowy claws that took his essence a year ago. In a stunned stupor, the aged man failed to do anything but gape. La Cortina was irritated with that. Picking up a nearby coffee table with a tentacle, she hurled it at Grandpapi. It hit the elderly supervillain and threw him into the next room. The villainess walked into the living room, ready to suck the essence out of the powerless old man.

She then heard a soft mechanical whirling. And then something huge and golden exploded through the wall and grabbed her. It was Grandpapi, in his Puma Loco form. Puma Loco slammed the inky villainess against the wall with a robotic claw. The old man glared red-hot daggers at her as he white knuckled on his mech suit's controls.

"Chu DARE show your face here again?!" Grandpapi snarled, his dark eyes narrowed from behind his yellow glasses. La Cortina's scowl deepened.

Raising her dark claws, she brought them down on the joint of the robotic suit's arm. In a hiss of hydraulics and a splatter of oil, the robotic limb hit the floor. La Cortina was free. Puma Loco used his rockets to jump him away from the villainess. Heat-seeking missiles whistled through the air. La Cortina teleported and the missiles sped into a wall and instantly decimated it.

The villainess reappeared behind Grandpapi. The aged supervillain whirled around and pointed his only rocket-launcher at her. Again La Cortina teleported.

"You can't beat me, Puma Loco." She was behind him. Grandpapi spun and saw her standing in the middle of the living room again. "I can be anywhere you are and be anyone."

Her form shifted into Manny's and then Rodolfo's. The elderly man gritted his dentures.

"Mi familia! WHAT DID CHU DO TO MI FAMILIA?!" Puma Loco raged. He released more rockets.

La Cortina merely teleported as the weapons peppered the floor where she was once standing. This time Puma Loco didn't have time to turn. Something black shot out of his chest. Grandpapi knew what it was. With a pulse, La Cortina's tentacle gulped down part of his essence. With a wet gasp, the elderly man slumped forward. The Puma Loco mech suit fell still.

Alejandra recoiled her tentacle. He would find out soon enough what she did with his family.

Alejandra returned to her hideout. She found the Fancy Headquarters in a Big Fist eerily quiet when she arrived. The Titanium Titan was casually seated in a chair, filing his liquid metal nails. She knew her boyfriend saw her come into the hideout but he said nothing to her. Alejandra felt irritation wash over her but what did she expect? She was having second thoughts about their perfect venganza and the Titan doubtlessly saw that. Gliding over to where the prisoners were kept, Alejandra ordered her dress to relinquish Grandpapi's limp body. Hanging him next to his unconscious son, her costume fastened shackles to his wrists. Alejandra's purple eyes traced to Rodolfo, who was still limp. A wave of anger nearly choked her.

Turning up her nose, the inky supervillainess opened the folds of her dress and retrieved Puma Loco's Golden Sombrero of Chaos.

The Titanium Titan was sitting in his favorite chair, trying to give his finicky girlfriend enough space. She didn't seem right after she saw Rodolfo unconscious. Then he heard a "thunk" in front of him. Looking up he saw Puma Loco's mechanical sombrero on the floor and Alejandra standing over him. He was relieved to see her normal saucy smile spread over her lips.

"I'm tired of sneaking around, Titan." She leaned over and looked him in the eye. "And I want some essence. What do you say both of us get out of here and start some trouble with the supervillains?"

An eager smile spread over the ex-sidekick's face.

"Finally!" The Titan gave a dirty half-smile. "That's just what I wanted to hear, Alejandra."

He grabbed her lips with a surprise kiss, which Alejandra melted into. In a puff of smoke both supervillains teleported elsewhere to begin siphoning essences from Miracle City's supervillains.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	11. Fracturar

Holla todos! CJzilla here with another chapter! In this update, everyone is in the clutches of our two favorite baddies and as the Riveras fight, a great evil is rising. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review...

_KnucklesRedFury207.2: Yeah and they might just realize something a little too late..._

_eltigre221: Thanks! Here's another chapter for you amiga!_

_angel of hope: Well, I was aiming for a BIG battle at the end. If it's epic, that's for you guys to decide. :)_

_acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks. You'll have to read on to find out._

_DarkAurora: Here's what I had in mind for the next chapter. Guilt is a major factor. Enjoy._

**AN: If you want to see some of MY El Tigre art, be sure to visit my deviantArt account at cjzilla dot deviantArt dot com!**

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Chapter 11

_Fracturar_

Manny didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to face La Cortina again. The past three days were… hell; in all sense of that word. Toping off the most awful week of his life, La Cortina, the shadowy supervillainess appeared out of nowhere. What was worse is that she had his El Tigre belt; HE had given it to her thinking she was Frida. No. The inky villainess was merely impersonating his best friend and he believed La Cortina's charade. The woman had his belt and when he was weak and powerless, she shot one of those tentacles through his chest. Manny wasn't sure if he passed out from a part of his essence getting consumed or the absolute surrender he felt when he gave up his belt. He didn't want to wake up again.

The thirteen-year-old boy felt reality pulling him and consciousness easing through his brain. But Manny fought against waking up. He didn't want to. There was no way he could resist it; the teen felt his eyes open.

Images and colors were swirling together. He heard voices but they were incoherent and unrecognizable. Manny eased a little more into the conscious world.

"Manny! Oh! Manny! You're alive!" He heard his father's voice. There was now a little more hope; his dad was near him.

Manny could just barely lift his head, words and thought beyond him at the moment. The teen looked up to see a dimly lit room with only one bright light hanging above him. Directly across from him was Rodolfo without his mask and boots, Grandpapi without his golden sombrero, Frida and three other people. The Chipotles were here and so was Municipal President Rodriguez. Wait… The Chipotles were pronounced dead and Rodriguez… Manny just saw him at City Hall. What was going on here?

"Whew! For a second there Manny, we all thought you bit the big burrito." Frida was talking to him. Was it really Frida or La Cortina?

When his vision cleared more Manny saw that his family, friend, fiends and Rodriguez were shackled to the walls. Manny moved his wrists and found the same metal restraints.

"What-?" His voice was soft and hoarse and his body was still very, very weak.

"It's all right, Manny." Rodolfo told his son. "It's going to be all right."

There was a scoff from Dr. Chipotle Sr. who was missing his robotic hand.

""All right"? Dr. Chipotle Sr. and Dr. Chipotle Sr.'s son have been up here for one whole day. Things are far from "all right"." The mad scientist snapped.

"You're alive." Manny gave a lopsided, slightly conscious smile. "You idiot scientists are alive."

Dr. Chipotle Jr. frowned.

"We prefer the term "evil geniuses"." The ten-year-old villain returned, glaring at his archenemy. "And yes; we're alive."

The thirteen-year-old boy looked over at Frida.

"Is that really you Frida?" Manny asked, blinking past his vertigo. Frida sighed and nodded.

"Yep. It's really me. Are you really Manny Rivera, my best friend?" The blue-haired girl questioned. Manny paused and closed his eyes.

"Last I checked I was." The boy answered with a weak grin. "The last thing I remember is Frida turning into La Cortina. She's back by the way, dad."

"We all know dat _now_!" President Rodriguez barked, kicking his little feet since he was too short to touch the ground. "La Cortina ambushed me at mi casa! I've been here for thres dias!"

"Then who was at City Hall today? And Friday?" Manny heaved, the questions swimming in his mind.

Rodolfo frowned.

"It was the Titanium Titan masquerading as Rodriguez, my son." The man answered, his head bowed a little. Manny dropped his head and shivered.

La Cortina and the Titanium Titan were back. This is the city's worse nightmare.

"And chu gave chur boots to de Titan, Rodolfo." Grandpapi growled at his son. Rodolfo gave him a glare.

"I didn't know it was the Titanium Titan _pretending_ to be Rodriguez, papa!" The man returned, twisting his wrists in his shackles. "He asked for me to resign as a super… and I did."

There was a chorus of gasps except from Manny who frowned at his father.

"WHAT?! WHY?!" Frida exclaimed. "_Why_ did you give up superheroing?!"

Rodolfo looked up at his son, still seeing that angry look on the teen's face; a similar expression came to his.

"I did it for my son." The man answered through his teeth. Manny growled.

"I didn't ask for you to do that, _DAD_." Manny retorted. "That was the _stupidest_ thing I've ever seen you do."

Rodolfo narrowed his eyes dangerously at his one and only son.

"You are THE most ungrateful child in todo el _universo_!" He barked at the teen. "I gave up SUPERHEROING! For _YOU_! To be a better father; _that's_ why! In case you haven't noticed, MANNY, you've been arrested, you stole and you lied to me! You are a disobedient _problem child_!"

Manny was upset. For one, his now knew how his dad saw him; as a bratty, disobedient problem. And second… being in his father's disapproval. The boy felt anger bubble out of all his grief.

"It's been a bad WEEK, dad!" Manny yelled back. "None of this would have happened if you weren't so _rendido_! If you just BELIEVED me, we wouldn't BE here!!"

Rodolfo scowled.

"Chu see? Dis is what happens when chu are a hero instead of evil." Grandpapi chimed in. It was more than Rodolfo could take.

"CÁLLATE, _VIEJO_!" Rodolfo roared at his father. "YOU put Manny on this bad path by disrespecting my responsibility as Manny's father! YOU are an embarrassment to my family! I should have stopped trying to please you _YEARS_ ago and kicked you out of that house!"

"CHU ARE WEAK TO BE A HERO!" Grandpapi yelled. The Riveras then got into a yelling fight much to the shock of Frida, the Chipotles and Rodriguez.

Frida watched her "family" scream at each other and she couldn't stop her tears from falling. Two horrible days ripped the Riveras apart, leaving those around them to watch in agony as the strongest family in Miracle City turned on each other.

Suddenly there was a flash of light and then smoke wafted through the room. Footfalls beyond the light were heard. Everyone suddenly went silent when they saw the lithe shadow form of La Cortina and the short figure of the Titanium Titan move into the light. It was truly the stuff of nightmares; the partnership that brought Miracle City and the Riveras to their knees was back! The fear fed the Titan's smile. Alejandra Marengo let her costume bleed off of her face. Everyone saw that her eyes were no longer green but a sinister purple.

The two villains' eyes traced around the room, making eye contact with each of their prisoners. They said nothing as Alejandra stepped forward, her shadowy dress rising into tentacles. La Cortina smiled. The Riveras, Frida, the Chipotles and Municipal President Rodriguez were powerless to run from the ribbons as they pierced each of their chests. The shadowy villainess closed her eyes and listened to the chaos inside each of their bodies. Her smile widened.

"Turning on each other even before the villains arrive?" La Cortina's tentacles pulsated a little, sucking out enough of each of their essences to keep them weak and obedient. "And I thought _we_ were evil."

The weakened kids and adults could barely hold their heads up when she withdrew her tentacles from their bodies. The Titan gave a chuckle as Alejandra put her arm around his shoulders.

"Hola a todos." The ex-sidekick greeted in an evil way. "Long time, no see."

Alejandra chuckled.

"It's been what? One year? Did that year go by fast or is it just me?" She looked at her lover. The Titan gave a wicked half-smile. "I just lose track of time plotting venganza."

Both villains laughed. Alejandra left the Titan's side and stepped forward.

"Let me assure you all-" She voiced. "-that each and every event of your week was not an accident. Each and every one of you had a part in our downfall."

Then the shadowy villainess zipped around the room on her dress of shadows.

"Rodriguez for incarcerating me and the Chipotles for providing the acidic guacamole that weakened me." Then she darted over to Rodolfo and Grandpapi. "You're a supervillain and all villains' eradication has been my goal all along." La Cortina pointed at the weak old man. When she came to Rodolfo, her purple eyes narrowed with hurt. "White Pantera, for rejecting me and calling me a monster."

She reached up and gently took the man's chin in her hand. Rodolfo looked at Alejandra. The woman's face softened when she looked into his tired eyes.

"I've done what you wanted; there is zero crime in Miracle City right now." Her eyes brightened briefly, revealing that eager-to-please fan-girl that was still inside of the villainess. "I have proof, Pantera."

As Alejandra held Rodolfo's head upwards, her costume spat something out. Sartana of the Dead's Mystic Guitar clattered to the floor. Even in his weakened state, Rodolfo felt fear rush through him.

"See?" The shadowy woman added, moving away from him but her costume remaining on his face. Alejandra moved over to the Titanium Titan and put an inky hand on his shoulder. "We've been busy for the past six hours."

Manny blinked and raised his shaky head. Six hours? Is that how long they've been here? La Cortina's soft expression remained as she looked over everyone.

"It's good to see all of you again. One year is a long time." A soft, gentle expression left her lips. It was enough to make a docile silence circle the room.

Then the Titan looked up at his lover and quirked a brow. Alejandra's smile remained for but a second more before she caught the look on her boyfriend's face. Cleaning her expression, she sighed.

"You remember the first thing we did to kick start these last dos dias, Titan?" La Cortina asked her partner. The Titanium Titan gave Manny a bitter smirk.

"I believe you gave everyone nightmares." He answered.

La Cortina laughed and moved to the middle of the room.

"Nightmares… for each of you." She grinned at the Riveras. "For the past few months, I've been visiting your dreamscape and implanting feelings of dread and anxiety, all leading up to this moment. You all are exhausted from the lack of sleep; your decisions have been extreme and poor. You were ripe for my next move."

She looked at Manny.

"You remember me?" She morphed into the hooded man with the purse that Manny had chased Friday. Manny shook his head, surprised and disappointed. "I took this purse and framed you for abusing your powers. What did Chief Suarez tell you in that interrogation room? That you were an irresponsible punk with neglectful parents. Truer words never spoken before." Then La Cortina glared at Rodolfo. "And when you struck Mrs. Chichita, it was _I_ who subdued her and put her in the middle of the street. I knew you would immediately take the blame for nearly killing her."

The shadow woman moved away, her hateful glare still resting on Rodolfo.

"Did I tell you what I found in Rodolfo's pocket?" The Titan spoke up. La Cortina glanced at her partner.

The Titan raised a piece of paper between his fingers. Alejandra took it and opened it. After glancing at it, a heinous smile spread over her mouth.

"Well, well." It was the custody paper. "Would you do the honors breaking it to Manny, Titan?"

The short ex-sidekick gave an evil chuckle.

"With pleasure." The Titan moved over to Manny and grasped his head. The boy looked on as he presented the legal document to his face. "Take a good look, Tigre. THIS is a long time coming."

Manny, since he was so weak, merely caught the subheading of the document. He saw the word "custody" in big bold letters. The boy's brow furrowed for a second before he figured out what that meant.

"Signed by a Rodolfo Rivera." Titan added, dropping Manny's head. "Funny. I didn't think he would."

La Cortina sighed.

"I knew he would." The supervillainess responded, folding her arms. "You should have seen his face when "Maria" gave the paper to him. You all bought my performance, too."

She gave a quick laugh when a voice cut through the room.

"Where's… my mom?" Manny growled.

"Where is… Maria?" Rodolfo wheezed out.

La Cortina rolled her eyes and allowed her costume to reach off to the side, grabbing Maria's essence-less body from nearby. Floating the woman's body into the light, the villainess dropped her to the floor. Frida, Manny, Grandpapi and Rodolfo gasped. Alejandra looked at Maria's body much like an eaten apple; all ready enjoyed.

"I took her essence because she wouldn't stop talking about how strong you were and how we wouldn't be able to break you." She stated.

The Titanium Titan gave a dry snort.

"And she was wrong." The ex-sidekick folded his metal arms, smug smile on his face. "You guys are in so many pieces I can fit you through the eye of a needle."

Alejandra nodded and took a step toward Rodolfo.

"A push here, a lie there and the mighty Rivera family falls. Not so strong now that your trust is broken." The woman glared at her idol. "Now you know the feeling of your entire world being broken."

She raised her hand and slapped Rodolfo, the noise echoing through the quiet hideout.

"Curse you for rejecting me!" Alejandra asserted. Her purple eyes shone with anger as her costume began to bleed over her face. "All I ever wanted was to have your approval! Everything I did, I did for YOU! It's YOUR fault I'm like this!"

The man locked eyes with her.

"I do not approve of supervillains." Rodolfo pointedly replied. "And your heart has become as black as your costume; it's no fault of mine."

Alejandra's expression mirrored that of a year ago; a wild, desperate pain accompanied by shame. She took a step away, her black costume covering her angst-ridden face. Her shadow dress bled over her hand, forming a long dagger of darkness. With a ghostly and echoed snarl, the villainess swung the blade of shadows at Rodolfo. The whole hideout shook when it impacted.

Manny expected to see his father's head blown off as La Cortina swung. But he saw her black blade veer off to the right, missing Rodolfo's head and sheering into the metal wall. The villainess quivered as a deafening silence filled the room. Rodolfo looked amazed but nonetheless thankful that he wouldn't die in front of his son.

Then the shadow costume bled off of Alejandra's face. Her expression was weak and defeated. Finally she relaxed, pulling her hand out of the wall. The woman stood there, her purple eyes dropping to the floor. Then Alejandra turned her head, looking to the Titanium Titan.

"He's right, Titan." She breathed, gooey, black tears streaking down her face. The ex-sidekick swallowed the lump in his throat.

The Titan was grateful that Alejandra stopped before she took Rodolfo's head off. Apparently he wasn't the only one choking in guilt. Alejandra's lip quivered as she walked over to her partner.

"This isn't who we are." She walked into his arms and let a sob go. "I can't do it."

The ex-sidekick wrapped his liquid metal arms around her. It seems that there was enough hero inside of each of them to prevent them from doing the unthinkable.

"It's all right, Alejandra." The Titan hugged her. In light of their little revelation, they sure caused a lot of damage before they came to their senses.

Suddenly Alejandra shrieked. The Titan jumped out of her arms only to see his girlfriend stumble back, gripping her shoulders.

"What?!" The ex-sidekick rushed, at her side. The woman looked up, a horrible pain on her face.

"My costume! It's-!" Alejandra was thrown to the floor as her costume disapproved of her. Wherever her costume touched, her skin burned. "Stop! What are you doing?!"

Her alien costume whispered into her ear one word: "coward". The costume hauled the woman to her feet and forced out her arm. To Alejandra's horror, the shadowy costume formed a point and hauled her toward Rodolfo.

"Stop!" She dug her heels into the floor but still her costume dragged her toward her idol. Her costume stopped, its dangerous point resting between Rodolfo's eyes. "NO! I won't take Pantera's essence again!"

The costume squeezed and burned her. It called her a coward and demanded that Rodolfo's essence be eaten. It was disappointed with her change of heart and commanded that its insatiable appetite for human essences be satisfied. Alejandra could feel the costume stretching and inching closer to Rodolfo's forehead. Just before it could touch the man's skin, a liquid metal axe sliced through the costume. With Alejandra still as its puppet, the alien costume lashed out at the Titanium Titan.

With a shadowy tentacle across his chest, the ex-sidekick was launched across the hideout. Alejandra gasped.

"Titan!" She exclaimed. Her costume writhed with anger and stretched tentacles in every direction.

The ribbons of darkness pierced the walls of the hideout and Alejandra felt it lift from her body. The alien sunk its fangs into the back of her neck and whispered in her ear. It had all the power it needed to siphon all of the essences of Miracle City. It possessed every essence of every villain from Sartana of the Dead to El Cucharón. But it still wanted more. It wanted to rampage and consume more; just as it did a year ago.

"NO! I won't let you!" She cried, grasping handfuls of the alien costume. "It will NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

But she felt it rise off of her. Her costume was going to do as it pleased and she'd be powerless to stop a monster she helped to create.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	12. Comienza

Hola everyone! CJzilla here with another update! In this chapter the fight to stop the shadow monster begins. Enjoy.

As I rampage through this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... hate... review.

**AN: I will do a "dear reviewers" next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 12

_Comienza_

The alien tore itself away from Alejandra. Nearly a year and a month together, both beings separated with cries of agony. The symbiotic nature of the alien coupled with Alejandra Marengo's deep relationship with it, made one terrifyingly painful scene.

Alejandra felt like something was being cleaved out of her body and ripping flesh off in shreds. She screamed and finally, her costume completely came off of her. On the floor, she was only able to quiver in sheer misery as the alien oozed to the ground and collected itself in front of her. Lifting her head, she locked eyes with the greedy alien creature. It didn't look that much different before it released Alejandra; it looked just like a cold, lithe, ghostly living shadow. The alien narrowed its long, slender eyes at her before darting off into the darkness. Through the blackness, she heard a window shatter. It was making good on all the planning that she and the Titanium Titan started.

It must be stopped!

Touching her naked hand to her shoulder, she found her body clothed with her short shorts and baby T-shirt; no shoes. At least she was dressed; nakedness not being added to her list of shame. Alejandra hauled herself to her knees and let out a shaky gasp. With all that pain, she expected her spinal cord to be on the floor next to her. But there was no injury to be seen. All of that was pushed aside. Fighting to her feet, Alejandra stumbled in the direction that her partner was blown.

"Titan!" She called out. But then her eyes came to the window.

Even at a distance, the woman saw the alien in Miracle City and it had grown. The alien, with the aid of all the essences she took, was now towering over the tallest building in the city. Its black body engulfed block after city block, consuming all essences it touched. With nearly million people in Miracle City, the parasitic alien would become unimaginably powerful.

The Titanium Titan zapped awake when he heard someone calling his name. It was Alejandra. Though he was nearly halfway inside of a metal-plated wall, his blackout faded. The first thing in his mind was Alejandra and if she was all right. Once his red eyes focused, he saw his girlfriend crouched beside him, worry in her green eyes.

"Are you… all right?" The ex-sidekick blinked the vertigo out of his head. Alejandra gave a breath of relief.

"I'm all right, mi amore." She put a hand to his face. Then her expression turned fearful again. "My costume! The alien is rampaging through Miracle City, Titan! We HAVE to stop it!"

A scowl came to his face as he sat up.

"I KNEW that thing was nothing but trouble!" The Titan snarled, holding his head. Alejandra's breath hitched in her throat.

Powerful though he was she knew that the Titan was no match for the alien. They needed help! But who? Who had superpowers that had not all ready lost their essence to the shadowy creature? And then her eyes came to the pile of the Riveras' mystical items of power.

Manny was still in a daze. He heard the commotion and Alejandra screaming but he was just too weak to hold his head up for very long. He felt a new anger wash over him. He hated the woman even more than he did a year ago. She wrecked his life and smiled while doing it too. The villainess impersonated the ones he loved and manipulated his family. Because of the insane pressure she inflicted, his family was in a state of chaos that seemed irreversible.

Then he suddenly felt warm arms fold around him. A second later, his wrists were unshackled. Like ragdoll, he just drooped in the person's grasp, too weak to speak.

"Manny. Manny get up." It was Alejandra. Manny just frowned. "You have to snap out of it! It's loose! It's loose and is going to destroy Miracle City!"

_Whose_ fault was that? Why was it HIS problem? The Titan and La Cortina MADE this mess! Let them clean it up! Then he felt something wrap around his waist. Alejandra set him on the floor and touched his stomach. Immediately he saw a flash of green light and felt his El Tigre strength course through his weakened body. With a new vitality bathing him, Manny raised his head. Alejandra was looking down at him.

"You." He spoke only one word when he jumped forward, clasping his hand over her throat. Both tumbled to the floor.

El Tigre pounced on her and straddled her stomach, his hands wrapped around her throat. The fear in her eyes was understandable but despite being at his mercy, Manny saw a justified look over her face. She knew that he'd be mad and accepted it. Alejandra then looked to the right and nodded toward the wall. Then he remembered Frida. Dropping the wicked woman, Manny got to his feet.

Frida was still dangling from her wrists, too weak to do anything but breathe. Manny's breath caught in his throat as he slashed the restraints from around his best friend's wrists. Catching Frida before she hit the floor, he eased her against the wall. Her normally energetic face was clouded with exhaustion; her goggles were gone too. It was like looking at a totally different person. Rile burned inside of Manny as he carefully touched her face.

Alejandra had her back to Manny and Frida as she tried to stuff Rodolfo's left foot inside one of his Bronze Boots of Truth. But as soon as the man's foot was inside of the mystical object, he opened his eyes. The next thing Alejandra knew, she was blasted across the room and slammed into a wall. Falling to her knees, she held her head. In that second, the Titanium Titan came sailing through the air, hit the wall and landed on her.

"Ow." The Titan complained, holding his head as he got off of his girlfriend. Then whirling servos were heard.

Looking up, both Alejandra and the Titan were staring into the rocket barrel of Puma Loco's mech suit. White Pantera and El Tigre were at the old villain's side as they glared red-hot daggers at the two villains.

"_Gusanos_. BOTH of you." Rodolfo hissed; his usually calm brown eyes were fogged over with rage.

They saw Puma Loco's missile cannon glow with a delayed shot.

"Chu… will… pay." Grandpapi just gnarled.

The Titan and Alejandra's eyes went wide as they heard a click and the first missile was launched. Both villains rolled to the side, barely missing the brunt of the explosive weapon. Alejandra shook the vertigo from her head only to see El Tigre jump at her. Jumping to her feet, the woman barely dodged the razor sharp claws of the enraged super-powered teenager. Scrambling along the wall, El Tigre kept her retreating, shredding metal and objects in the process.

Finally, Alejandra could move no further. A gasp died in her mouth as she knew she had no chance with Manny without her superpowers. Thankfully, the Titan was on her side. A blast of liquid metal wrapped around they boy just before he could sink his claws into her. The boy was flicked across the room as Alejandra brought her eyes up to her partner. The Titan had his hands full with White Pantera.

"Any time you want to start explaining, Alejandra!" The ex-sidekick strained, his metal hand wrapped around Rodolfo's shoulders as he tried to keep the superhero's dangerous boots away from him.

Somehow, the woman doubted whether words would work right now. And just like that, she was in Puma Loco's crosshairs.

"T-t-take it easy, Puma." Alejandra held up her hands. Fury was all over the old man's face as he brought both of his rocket launchers up to her head.

Just before she could be atomized, White Pantera flew into Puma Loco. Both Riveras went tumbling. Alejandra felt the Titan's liquid metal arm wrap around her and pull her to him. Manny, Rodolfo and Grandpapi got back onto their feet. They were seething with anger and prepared to smear both villains.

"Wait!" Alejandra held out her hand. But the superhero family did not yield.

Puma Loco cocked his missile launchers and let one weapon go. It flew too fast for the Titanium Titan and Alejandra to dodge it. The missile hit them, blasted them off of their feet, through the wall of their hideout and out into the sky over the water. Then it detonated.

Shrapnel and pieces of flaming debris flew in every direction. The deafening boom shook the decimated hideout and washed over the Riveras. Grandpapi stood there in his mech suit, his old hands clasped tightly on its controls. Rodolfo stood as a statue but no remorse could be seen on his face. Manny lingered before he scowled. There must be nothing left of that wicked duo!

Manny growled and jumped to the hole in the metal structure. His angry green eyes combed the water even as decimated debris was still falling from the sky. Nothing. No ripple and no sign of the Titan or his tramp of a girlfriend. Manny could have cared less if the explosion turned them into dust; they both deserved a slow death instead in an instant in a superheated detonation.

But as soon as he came out of his dark thoughts, his green eyes beheld the same monstrous shadow creature that nearly destroyed Miracle City a year ago. His breath caught. His chest seemed to close in on itself, his left arm ached and his knees went weak as déjà vu washed over him. Miracle City's darkest hour was happening _again_! Then he heard the jingling of his father's spurs and the clank of his grandfather's metal suit. Rodolfo gasped.

"Santa Maria." He whispered, hand over his mouth as he stood beside his son. Manny could feel his grandfather and father looking at him.

"What do wes do, Manny?" Grandpapi's voice was acute with fear. The teen scowled, choosing to ignore his family as he turned on his heel and walked back toward Frida.

"You fought that thing. How do we stop it?" His father walked after him. Manny felt tears sting his eyes, the hurt his father inflicted still fresh in his mind.

The boy knelt next to his unconscious best friend and touched her face again. He felt broken and scared. When he fought that shadow creature a year ago, Frida was at his side. Would he be able to do that again without her next to him?

"_Manny_!" Rodolfo put a hand on his son's shoulder. Manny swatted it off, stood and spun to his family.

"Last time I had guacamole and Frida to help me!" The boy spat. "The city's screwed. _Deal_ with it!"

Rodolfo narrowed his brown eyes at his son.

"And you are just going to give up?!" He snarled. "That is NOT the Rivera way!"

Manny just frowned.

"By the way you chewed me out back at the house I didn't think I WAS a Rivera anymore!" The boy fumed. His father's irritated expression remained.

"NOW you're listening to what I say?!" Rodolfo threw his arms in the air. Manny's anger burned.

"I always have!" The boy's chin quivered. Rodolfo's face remained the same. "And who cares now?! We're not superheroes anymore; I doubt if we're even a family anymore. The city is doomed."

The man looked off before a sad expression came to his angry face.

"I know what my duty is." Rodolfo finally voiced. "I have a duty to this family and to this city. Even if we are broken, I would give my last breath for this familia."

"But chu signed de custody paper, Rodolfo." Grandpapi growled at his son. "Chu broke apart dis familia."

Rodolfo spun to his father.

"To give my son a better life. If that means him living without a selfish father and a _villainous_ grandfather, then it's what has to be." The man returned. Rodolfo held his wounded brown eyes to his father before he walked over to Maria's limp body.

Picking the essence-less woman off of the cold floor, Rodolfo hugged her and put her carefully against a wall. Grabbing his White Pantera mask, the man slid the cool fabric over his face. Without another word, Rodolfo sped toward the window and jumped out. Manny followed his father to the window. Looking out, he saw White Pantera race across the water and into Miracle City. He was going to confront the shadow creature… alone.

It was suicide and Manny knew it.

"Papa." The boy whispered, feeling concern swell inside of him. Manny put one foot out of the broken window to follow his father when he felt something metal grab his shirt from behind.

It was Grandpapi.

"No, Manny. We go together." The elderly villain said, his mech suit's metal claw lifting his grandson onto his suit's shoulder. Manny gave his grandfather a deep look and then nodded.

There was still fight inside the Riveras even if their family was suffering. Puma Loco fired up his rocket feet and eased out the window. With one last look at Frida's limp body, Manny swore he'd make things right… or die trying.

The towering silhouette of the shadow creature was nearing and Manny and Grandpapi could see its terrible wake. Bodies of all ages and genders lie where their essences were taken. Fire was rampant and chaos filled the streets. There was a little relief with all the fear Manny was feeling. At least the monster hadn't summoned Sartana's undead army and he prayed it would stay that way. Finally Manny and Grandpapi were close enough to the actual battle scene that they saw the fruits of the policia's struggle to stop the shadow creature. Tanks, armored cars with mounted artillery and even policia cars were thrown unnaturally, light poles were bent in extra ordinary angles and the pavement was wrecked.

Manny tried to ignore how tired and how foggy his brain was. Still feeling the effects of La Cortina's tentacle through his chest, the boy came to grips with the fact that he may not be able to summon his Tigre Spirit. It would be a fight to end the creature; a fight that maybe someone would not walk away from.

At the battlefield Rodolfo finally arrived. What he saw at the front line made the normally courageous man seize with fear. It was as if the gates of hell were splayed open, releasing untold nightmares unto the living world. The shadow monster's massive silhouette stretched high into the sky and, from the ground, seemed to swallow the sun. The creature's inky body was shivering as it sent tentacles into the city to consume essences. At the "feet" of the inky beast, the air was cold; even in the sunlight of that bright Sunday morning.

News reels a year old began to play through Rodolfo's mind. 365 days ago, his essence had been taken by Alejandra before she absorbed Sartana's power. So while he was indisposed, his son fought this giant monstro. A year ago, as the cameras of the local news rolled and recorded the havoc the shadow creature unleashed, Rodolfo knew that the odds were stacked SO high, failure was not an option.

"Maria… help me." He whispered out loud, feeling frightened. Filling his lungs, Rodolfo exhaled and sped closer toward the monster; he would do anything for his family, including giving his own life.

The streets were clogged with fleeing people. The streets were filled to begin with, even before the monster invaded the city. Today was Día de los Bibliotecarios and a parade was scheduled for the event. All of Miracle City turned out for the extravagant parade but then the sun was blocked out by a shadow with piercing purple eyes. Sent into a frenzied stampede, the people were easily picked off by those icy, never-ending tentacles. Many were trampled before their essences were consumed. The policia were on site, despite the absence of Chief Suárez. The day of celebration turned into a life-or-death battle.

Communications to the southern sector of the policia department went unanswered, save for the eerie sound of dead static. Now only a handful of officers were left. Equipped with two tanks and batons, they could do little but keep a handful of the black tentacles away from fleeing citizens.

"I need backup! They are advancing!" One officer let out a desperate SOS to his fellow policemen. The tank he was in was out of ammunitions and he could only watch as a large, inky tentacle snaked along the road, smashing in windows and flipping cars.

But the officer was alone; his partners had lost their essence to the monster. The man scrambled off of the tank as the tentacle flipped the five ton weapon with ease. Climbing to his feet, the officer ran. As if the tentacle suddenly sensed his essence, it followed with relentlessness and ferocity. The exhausted man's jelly-like legs finally gave out and he crumbled to the ground. The icy ribbon of darkness reared over him, lingering in the air as if to just strike him with fear. As it paused and as the officer thought he was finished, a car flew through the air and hit the tentacle. The vehicle was enough to knock the black ribbon back. Suddenly, to the officer's reprieve, White Pantera hauled him to his feet.

"Can you run?" The superhero barked out, warily watching the tentacle. The man let out a shaky breath.

"I don't-" He responded. Then the ribbon of darkness rose again and sped toward them.

"Get OUT of here! _**ÁNDELE**_!" White Pantera ordered, pushing the man. Jumping into the air, the superhero planted a heel into the tentacle.

And from the moment White Pantera's Bronze Boots of Truth met the shadow, the monster knew of the superhero's presence. Turning a purple eye to the super-powered man, Rodolfo was now acknowledged as a threat.

Rodolfo dropped to the ground, watching the tentacle as if fell to the ground, twitched and died. But his small success was short lived. In that second, he heard a pained grunt from behind him. Immediately spinning, Rodolfo saw the officer that he'd just saved pierced with another tentacle.

"NO!" He choked out before the tentacle trembled, tearing out the man's essence. That ghostly white filled the man's eyes as he was dropped like garbage.

Suddenly, Rodolfo was surrounded by the shadow's inky ribbons, all coiled and ready to attack. Without a second's thought, White Pantera fled the area.

The fight was all ready desperate and not even two seconds into the battle. The obstacles were stacked against White Pantera as he tried nearly everything to get the creature's tentacles away from the people. Nothing was working! Terrified screams of those trying to outrun the giant monster's shadowy tentacles echoed through the city and seared into Rodolfo's mind. He felt his adrenaline shoot through the roof. If the monster got past him, there would be no one left to save the city!

Digging the heels of his enchanted boots into the pavement, White Pantera came to a stop. He was now seven blocks away from the creature. He would not stop to take a breath. Turning, he jabbed his feet into the ground and ran toward the monster with all his might.

Preoccupied but still watching White Pantera, the shadow monster knew of his impending attack. Seeing the superhero gain ground, turn and charge, the monster would not have those powerful boots wreck its glorious stranglehold over the city!

The seven blocks shortened in the blink of an eye. The shadow's dark form engulfed the sun as Rodolfo neared it. Just as he was about to jump, a dark tentacle rose from the road and slapped his ankles out from under him. Nearly at the speed of sound, the man fell fast and hard. Rodolfo wasn't sure how many times he tumbled but he did feel a lightning bolt-like snap in his right shoulder. Suddenly he came to an abrupt halt.

There seemed to be but a second that passed before he heard his son's voice.

"DAD! DAD!" Manny sounded distant but as Rodolfo reached out to open his eyes and respond, he realized that he was in the void of unconsciousness. "DAD! Are you all right?!"

Manny was panicking. He and Grandpapi found his father in a tangled heap at the foot of a building. Manny knew that if his father was running at full speed, a tumble could mean disaster. The boy glanced at the spider-web-like cracks in the bricks where White Pantera's back impacted. Now he was limp and Manny feared the worst.

Manny could not lose his dad! Not after all the rotten things he said to him! He wasn't supposed to die here and now! He wasn't supposed to die because of La Cortina and the Titanium Titan! Rodolfo was supposed to see Manny grow up, marry and have a family! Now the boy was watching his beloved father perish.

"Papa! Papi…" Over the whistling of Grandpapi's rockets, Manny heard himself sob. He didn't want tears to come but they did.

* * *

Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	13. Shadows

Hola Saints and Sinners! CJzilla here with another update! This chapter is packing some surprises. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: English title! Woo! And I will do a "dear reviewers" next chapter. Too tired now.**

* * *

Chapter 13

_Shadows_

Puma Loco was rapidly running out of rockets. With shadow tentacles zipping out of every direction and to which the aged supervillain skillfully flicked his controls, his ammunitions were being exhausted. But no shadowy ribbon touched his family; Puma Loco's reflexes were still sharp, even after many, many years.

Grandpapi's breath had been caught in his throat for many seconds now. It was if he couldn't breathe but felt himself inhale. Perhaps it was the lingering sensation of La Cortina's cold tentacle inside his old chest. Or maybe it was seeing his only son lying injured halfway inside a broken building. The fight with the giant shadow creature had only begun and all ready, the strongest Rivera was taken down.

"Get hims OUT of here Manny!" Grandpapi barked over his shoulder. His grandson looked up.

"But I'll leave you here alone! The shadow will EAT you!" Manny returned. Another rocket whizzed through the air and struck a tentacle.

It writhed, burned and then died.

"GO Manny! I's be right behind chu!" Grandpapi urged. Then they heard an ominous click; the sound of exhausted missiles.

Grandpapi's breath hitched again. Checking his ammunitions, he found no more rockets, not even in the reserve. His laser blasters were online but they would be less effective on the amassing black tentacles. As the aged supervillain watched, shadowy ribbons oozed through every street, window, doorway and crack in the pavement. They were in the middle of a fire without a way out. Suddenly Manny jumped in front of his grandfather.

"You take dad! I'll hold them off!" The teen hero ordered. Grandpapi's eyes went wide.

"I won't leave chu to die!" He barked. Manny gritted his teeth.

"Take dad! ALL of us will lose our essence if we don't have a plan!" The boy snarled back. Turning his back to his grandfather, he unsheathed his claws. "GO! I'll keep it busy!"

Manny jumped forward and sunk his claws into the nearest black tentacle. As soon as those infamous El Tigre claws pierced the dark matter, even as the tentacle was nearly three miles away, the alien was aware of the boy hero. It froze, momentarily pausing as it gulped down essences of fleeing people. It recalled what the teen had accomplished a year ago and the painful defeat he inflicted. The alien was not going to take any chances with the boy. He was a great threat and he would be dealt with accordingly.

Manny slashed and chopped through a sea of oozing blackness. Still his grandfather hesitated to activate his rocket feet and fly his unconscious father to safety. Cursing, the boy swiped another tentacle into pieces. There was no way he'd win this fight by his claws alone. Manny accepted the fact that he'd probably not live to celebrate another Día de los Bibliotecarios; just as long as his family survived, everything sacrificed now would be worth it. Bringing his razor-sharp claws above his head, Manny thrust them forward to take a chunk out of a large tentacle. But just before he could touch it, the black shadow flinched backwards. Suddenly, the dark ribbons around him and his family froze. They stood rigid before quickly fleeing out of sight. Manny stood there in a stupor.

Did they just win?

And then there was silence; absolute silence. Manny stood in the middle of the street and heard nothing but the salty desert air blow through the still city. Finally the teen relaxed and sheathed his claws. Was that it? Was this victory? Something nipped at the back of Manny's mind. He had a feeling this battle was not over. It was too easy.

"What-… what's going on?" He heard Grandpapi's voice.

"I don't know." The boy breathed and felt himself retreating back toward his grandfather and father. "This never happened when I fought with it a year ago…"

Suddenly, the wrecked buildings carried a strange sound; it was almost recognizable, like moaning. From ghostly silence to a strange noise echoing, the change was just too fast.

"It's not over… is it?" Grandpapi swallowed. Manny felt his dry throat constrict.

"No, Grandpapi." He said. "And I think we are yet to see the worst."

And then they saw the first skeleton bandito. The puppet-like skeletons, normally under Sartana of the Dead's control, were now obeying a new master. With Alejandra, the shadow alien had stolen the undead villainess's essence and now it uses Sartana's power as its own.

Manny openly cringed as memories flooded him. The skeleton bandito army. Not again! Out rightly, the undead skeleton could be dispatched with little effort. Manny could swiftly take out one or ten or even thirty, but this was Sartana's ARMY. Even the combined might of El Tigre and Puma Loco would not stand long under thousands of rotting skeletons. And the moaning they heard? That was the seemingly endless groan of old bones as each bandito shuffled closer and closer to the Riveras.

Grandpapi and Manny stood in a frightened halt. Just the tentacles alone were hard to fight; how could they fight undead soldiers, essence-hungry ribbons of darkness AND finally fight the alien?

"Ma-Man-… Papi?" They heard a thick voice from the sidewalk. It was White Pantera, awakening from his violent accident.

Manny was instantly at his father's side as the man tried to sit up.

"Papa! I'm sorry! I'll never talk to you like that again! I never wanted you to face the shadow creature alone!" The boy rattled off apology after apology. Rodolfo, however, was barely coming to and not hearing much of anything.

"Are chu hurt, mi hijo?" Grandpapi looked through the red-tinted glass of his Puma Loco suit. White Pantera blinked heavily, trying as hard as he could to focus.

"No…" He sounded unsure. But it wasn't until he sat up that he felt a tingling, painful sensation in his shoulder.

Rodolfo's face twisted with the pain as he clapped a hand to his shoulder, but he never uttered a sound. Manny opened his mouth to let more apologizes out but movement above their head caught his attention. It was a big skeleton bandito, crouched on a fire-escape and getting ready to attack them.

"Look out!" Manny blurted out, jumping from the sidewalk and swiping the hostile bag of bones. Aged bone met Tigre claws and immediately the bandito disintegrated.

But as he was atop that fire-escape, Manny's face paled from under his mask. He saw that just a few blocks down, banditos marched tightly together through the streets. Miracle City's roads were a moving mass of rotting bones!

"Dad-_ack_!" Then something from behind grasped the teen hero with great strength. But by the stench, Manny knew it was a bandito.

My merely raising his hand upwards, two of his claws shattered the bandito's old skull. It dropped him and with two more swipes, the skeleton turned to dust. Then four more took their fallen comrade's place. Scrambling off of the fire-escape, the boy dropped to his father and grandfather's side.

"Banditos are coming from everywhere!" Manny gestured as he glanced at his injured father. "We need to get out of here before they swarm us!"

And yet the moaning and marching was getting closer. Grandpapi looked between his wounded son and his grandson.

"Done. Let's get out of here!" The old man drew his mech suit's controls. The automaton carefully hauled Rodolfo into its mechanized claws. "Climb aboard, Manny!"

The teen scrambled onto this grandfather's mech suit and Puma Loco ignited his rocket feet. The Riveras lifted off of the ground and flew into the sky. Rodolfo's discomfort was growing. He cradled his shoulder, holding his breath as another wave of pain washed on him. Manny swallowed. They needed to regroup and plan before something REALLY bad happened.

Suddenly they jerked to a stop. Manny clamored to stay on his grandpapi's mech suit.

"What's going on?!" He shouted to his grandfather. Grandpapi looked genuinely mystified.

"I's don't know!" The old villain checked his gages. Everything was functioning fine so why weren't they moving?

Manny banked backwards and saw an inky black tentacle latched to the left foot of the Puma Loco suit.

"There's a tentacle!" The boy spat out. Grandpapi gritted his dentures.

"Hangs on!" He ordered and gunned the engines. The mech suit's rocket feet exploded with thrust, instantly frying the tentacle.

They were free but not for long. Other tentacles shot off of the ground below and jerked Puma Loco to a stop again. Manny felt his grandfather's suit rumble but go no where. Acting instinctively, the boy climbed over the suit, slashing tentacles in an attempt to free his family. It worked until more tentacles took hold of Puma Loco. Then Manny heard something he didn't want to hear.

"Mi fuel's running low!" Grandpapi shouted at his grandson. Manny's eye twitched.

"Didn't you gas up just this morning?!" He growled, swiping the tentacles around the metal suit. Grandpapi growled.

"I's fought with La Cortina! I use half of mi fuel!" The old supervillain barked back. "Is no helping dat I haul two peoples with me!"

Manny felt an angry tic hit his face. Of all the rotten luck!

"Well, pour on what you got, Grandpapi!" The boy ordered as he sliced through the last tentacle. "Because we're free!"

Grandpapi gunned the engines and Puma Loco shot into the sky. It was a close shave; they barely escaped the claws of the skeleton bandito army! Once the wind whipped through Manny's tiger tuffs, he felt he could take a breath. Sadly, he was able to take a breath, but it was knocked out of him. Puma Loco was violently jerked to a halt again. Manny flew off of the mech suit and into the air. There had to be one hundred feet between him and the ground. The boy madly swiped for something to grab hold of. He found a large black tentacle and he clawed for it. Digging his claws into the shadowy ribbon, he slowed his fall. As he dropped he found that his very same lifeline was the tentacle that had fastened onto his grandfather and father. But he was falling too fast and too hard to do anything about it.

Grandpapi saw Manny fly off of his mech suit but grab hold of a tentacle. The elderly villain had time to see his grandson drop toward the ground before two more tentacles demanded his attention. Out of rockets and with his injured son in his grasp, Grandpapi was out of options. But then he saw Rodolfo sit up and raise a fist. White Pantera cuffed one of the tentacles, making it reel away from them.

"Keep it steady, papi." Rodolfo choked out, his face still twisted with pain. But before Grandpapi could protest his son jumped off of the mech suit and dug his magical boots into the tentacle holding them in mid-air.

Puma Loco was free. Grandpapi yanked on his controls and nose-dived after his falling son. Rodolfo's feet were tangled in a mess of black shadow, his heels still embedded in the dying tentacle. Then he felt his father's suit's metal claw grab his waist and pull him from the collapsing tentacle. Puma Loco once again sped into the sky, White Pantera in his grasp. But more tentacles shot from the ground, these bigger than the last. The massive ribbons of darkness wrapped around his Puma Loco suit's thrusters. They constricted and the metal and wires buckled. With no rockets to hold them in the air, Grandpapi and Rodolfo dropped like rocks.

Manny, perched on a nearby building watched his grandfather and father fight with those evil ribbons in mid-air. He was horrified when the tentacles destroyed his grandpapi's thrusters. Now he watched helplessly as his family fell and hit the ground out of sight.

"No." The boy peeped and sprinted off of the building. He tore across building tops.

As he was leaping to the next building, a tentacle plucked him from the air and threw him to the ground. Manny opened his eyes and found himself indented into the asphalt of the street. Above him, several hungry tentacles were hovering. And then the skeletons closed in on him. The undead banditos swarmed him, pinning his tired body to the ground and driving their rock-hard undead fists into him. Then the shadowy ribbons bent down to finish him by stealing his essence. Manny couldn't move; the weight of undead bones was too much for him. He had a front row seat to the last seconds of his life.

Suddenly, over the clanking bones and his own heartbeat banging like a drum in his ears, Manny heard something strange. In that second, a bright red beam cut through the darkened city sky and struck two tentacles. The ribbons instantly died. Then he placed the sound; it was a guitar being strummed! Suddenly the skeleton banditos holding him down were suddenly turned into ash. Then, like a bolt out of heaven, he heard Frida's voice.

"Manny!" He couldn't believe it… He just couldn't believe it.

He suddenly saw Frida's lovely face looking down at him as he lie in a stupor.

"Manny! Say something!" She pleaded, kneeling next to him with Sartana's Mystic Guitar over her shoulder. Euphoric but nonetheless beaten up, Manny said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Uh… Some-…thing?" He groaned. Frida's face lit up.

"You're okay!" She cheered, pulling him to his feet. "We thought we came too late!"

Though nursing a concussion, Manny caught the last part of that sentence.

""We"?" He echoed. Suddenly a laser blast flew over his shoulder and struck a bandito.

It came from Dr. Chipotle Jr. The ten-year-old super genius shook his fist.

"THE NEXT ONE'S GOIN' IN YOUR EAR, EL TIGRE!" He blasted. But Frida shot him a glare and he rolled his good eye. "_Fine_. What Dr. Chipotle Jr. means to say is… BAD SKELETON!"

Frida rolled her eyes.

"How, Frida?" Manny grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You were unconscious! How did you get here?!"

Then a strange expression of mixed uncertainty and coyness came to the girl's face.

"Well…" And then Frida pointed. Manny followed her finger to see the Titanium Titan swinging his metal arms and laying dozens of skeleton banditos to waste.

First, Manny felt his jaw drop to the ground before anger boiled inside of him. That missile should have KILLED the Titan! If he was alive, that must mean Alejandra was too. Manny's claws sped out of his gloves and he raced toward the ex-sidekick.

"TITAN!" The Titanium Titan looked up to see the enraged teen super jumping from the ground and poising his claws to take off his head. The ex-sidekick returned Manny's rage.

"Tigre." The short man hissed, ordering his liquid mental arm to shoot into the air. Manny sliced through the fluid-like metal and aimed again for the Titan.

Catching the teen before his claws could touch him, the Titan slammed him to the ground. Landing on his feet, Manny was forced to his knees by the villain.

"You little punk." He heard the ex-sidekick hiss. "You are even more of a fool than I thought."

Gritting his teeth, Manny pushed back on the Titan's strong metal arm. The teen's Tigre claws shooting out of the liquid metal. With a flex of his arms, the Titan's metal hand was sheered into pieces. The ex-sidekick merely clenched his crooked teeth as Manny pounced on him. On his back, the Titan saw the angered teen raise his sharp claws above his head.

"_Gusano_." Manny bit. "How did you survive that explosion?"

The Titan sneered.

"What type of a talk is that for a hero?" He growled. "And where is the thanks I get for bringing help?"

That made Manny hesitate but his green eyes narrowed with spitefulness.

"That does nothing to change what you and that no good girlfriend of yours did to my family!" The boy snarled. "You should have died in that blast."

A bitter smirk cracked over the Titan's face.

"I am the Titanium Titan, El Tigre." He smiled. The next thing Manny knew, one of the ex-sidekick's liquid metal hands was grasping his head. "My arms protected me and Alejandra from your grandpapi's missile. You should know by now that I do not defeat so easily."

The teen was plucked off of the Titan's chest and held in the air for a moment.

"Do you want to fight me or take care of the evil shadow destroying your city?" The ex-sidekick hissed. The answer was obvious; Manny _must_ put aside his beef with the Titan to save Miracle City.

Biting on his tongue, the boy reluctantly acknowledged what he had to do.

"I want to save the city." He grunted through clenched teeth. The Titan let him to his feet. "But the second we defeat that thing, I'm going to-… LOOK OUT!"

Manny saw a dark tentacle rise over their heads and aim straight for the ex-sidekick. Throwing his arms upwards, the Titan easily cut the tentacle in half. Suddenly, a dozen more dark ribbons appeared and shot toward them.

"Where is Alejandra?" Manny fumed, slicing three tentacles to pieces. The Titan formed a drill with one of his hands and tore through the amassing tentacles.

"She's safe!" He barked back. "I didn't want her to get hurt! She has no superpowers now!"

Manny exclaimed with frustration.

"You're an idiot!" He spat. "Alejandra was that shadow's puppet! She might be the only one that knows how to stop it!"

The Titan shot him a glare.

"What's wrong, El Tigre?" He wasn't happy about the boy insulting his girlfriend. "You can't remember how you defeated it the first time?!"

The teen glared poison as he destroyed three more tentacles.

"Last time I had acid guacamole!" Manny shouted. "But Dr. Chimpanzee's lab was destroyed in a fire!"

"CHIPOTLE!" Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s shrill voice cut through the conversation.

"Any bright ideas, Titan?!" Manny fired back.

The ex-sidekick's frustrations were growing as he saw another mass of tentacles shoot toward him.

"Just _yours_, Tigre!" The Titan grunted.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	14. Shadow Wounds

Hola a todos! CJzilla here with another update! In this chapter, the fight with the giant alien shadow comes to a head. Enjoy!

As I rampage all over this town, all CJzilla has to roar is this... R&R! Love... Hate... Review.

**AN: .... feeling lazy.... next chapter I will do a "dear reviewers".**

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Chapter 14

_Shadow Wounds_

It seemed that the alien's onslaught only increased with the Titanium Titan's presence. The ex-sidekick held his back to Manny Rivera's as they swung wildly, shredding dark tentacles that craved their essences. The alien seem to spare no free moment as bigger tentacles joined the fray. Walls of black shadow towered over the two supers.

"Holy mother of-!" The Titan drawled in awe as the inky mass closed over their heads and blocked out the sun. Gritting his crooked teeth, the small man pushed Manny to the ground.

The thirteen-year-old super felt his enemy shove him to the pavement. For a second Manny thought the Titan had turned on him. Then he felt a wind. Looking up he saw that the ex-sidekick had transformed his liquid metal arms into a big propeller. The giant blades created a wind as they spun and sunk into the shadow tentacles. Pieces of black tentacle flew in every direction. And then the sun shone down on them again.

"On your feet, Tigre!" The Titan commanded. Manny pushed himself to his jelly-like legs.

He was getting too tired too fast. The ex-sidekick roughly grabbed the boy. With his free hand, the Titan shot a liquid metal rope to the nearest building. Yanking himself and his teenage enemy into the air, they zipped out of danger. Dropping to the roof, the Titanium Titan released Manny. The boy fell to his knees, heaving.

"I never did like that black moco!" He heard the ex-sidekick growl. "It was nothing but trouble from the beginning! Possessive little-!"

"What are you talking about?" Manny growled, holding his head. An irritated tic came to the Titan's eye.

"The _alien_, El Tigre!" He threw his liquid metal arms into the air. "It never did like me, even though I am Alejandra's querito!"

Manny shuddered as the Titan continued.

"For _six months_ I wasn't allowed to touch her! And now _this_!" He snarled. "It's past due time that it be taught a lesson."

"Oh, yeah. You're REALLY showing it whose boss." Manny quipped through gritted teeth. The Titan zipped into his face.

"If I wasn't saving YOUR butt all the time, I might have by now!" He hissed. The teen super narrowed his green eyes.

"I-!" But he stopped, mid-sentence. Several massive tentacles had wrapped around the building.

The dark appendages squeezed the structure. The building's windows instantly shattered before the framework buckled. The ground beneath Manny and the Titan's feet dropped out from under them. Now freefalling, with nothing to grab onto, both supers didn't have time to think. The Titan was snatched out of the air by vengeful tentacles while Manny bounced off of the shadows and tumbled to the street.

Flipping to his stomach, Manny looked up. The boy saw the Titan held spread-eagle by four tentacles while another was poised to strike him. It surly looked like the Titan's luck had run out. But a strum of a guitar was heard and a bright red blast soon followed. The black magic burst sheered through a tentacle holding the ex-sidekick's wrists. It was enough for the small super to pull free and defend himself. Frida had once again proved herself a valuable asset to this fight. Panning to the side, Manny saw his best friend strumming on Sartana of the Dead's Mystic Guitar, blasting away tentacles and skeleton banditos coming toward her. Heaving himself to his feet, the boy stumbled toward her, to protect her.

Frida watched another skeleton bandito crumple into a pile of bones. One down and half a million to go… Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone running toward her. Whipping around, she pointed the guitar at her so-called attacker. She nearly blasted her best friend into ash. One glance and Frida knew that Manny wasn't himself. He stumbled into her.

"I'll protect you… Frida." He heaved, out of breath and exhausted. Frida immediately shook her head, her blue hair tickling his face.

"No way! You need to take five!" She returned. But same pig-headed Manny; he refused.

"I've got to… protect you." He wheezed. Frida scoffed.

"Yeah right! You're not much use if you can't throw a punch to save your life!" She told him. "Just take a breather. I can handle a few slow banditos and over-grown shadows."

Manny felt the girl's hands wrap around his arms. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on the sidewalk with Frida blasting more tentacles. The boy let himself fall backwards and lie on his back. Looking up into the dark sky, he had enough energy to listen to the sound of the battle; the moan of undead bone, the strum of the Mystic Guitar and the hiss of tentacles dying. Closing his eyes, Manny let himself breathe.

"Well, now we know why our week's been so crummy, Manny." Frida finally spoke. The boy opened his eyes.

The thirteen-year-old girl stood beside him, a serious look on her face as she played that magical guitar like there was no tomorrow.

"The dreams were all La Cortina's doing, so was the creep in the street and the fire at the Chipotles." Frida continued. "Not to mention all of those fiercely unnecessary cameras at your place. Let's not forget Ms. Chichita and framing us for stealing that necklace. Did I forget anything?"

A grin stretched over Manny's tired mouth.

"You forgot about getting my belt taken away, forcing me and my dad to give up super-heroing and making me look bad." The boy answered. Frida gave a laugh.

"And trashing the city. Seriously; my favorite churros stand was leveled." She growled. Manny's grin turned into a smile. "But yeah… this pretty much explains the last three days. I think Alejandra and the Titan deserve a wedgie; _at least_!"

Manny lifted his head from the cement and opened his mouth to say something. Suddenly, a tentacle slammed over his neck and mercilessly yanked him away from Frida.

"MANNY!" He heard his best friend scream. The boy was whipped around by that shadow ribbon.

Throughout being viciously thrashed, Manny desperately tried the free himself. As soon as he had a hand on that tentacle around his neck, two more came. His wrists and ankles were seized and forced outward. Then the tentacle around his throat began to squeeze. He could no longer breathe. Manny fought to free himself. No good; his struggling seemed to only make the tentacle tighten more. Then a fourth shadow ribbon appeared. It hovered there for a long moment before it flew toward him. Manny expected to have his essence immediately sucked out, but instead, he felt a sharp sting to his face.

Opening his eyes, he saw nothing but that black ribbon hovering in front of him. Had the tentacle just _slapped_ him? Suddenly then the tentacle dove into his chest. Manny felt cold as his essence was slowly was siphoned away. Lack of oxygen was shoving him that much closer to unconsciousness. The tentacle tightened its grip on his throat. Manny was just hung there, his wrists and ankles immobile, totally helpless. It seemed that the shadow creature wanted him dead just as much as it wanted his essence.

Then he heard a bizarre sound; like the buzz of electricity and the roar of flames. There was a hiss and a scream of a tentacle. Then Manny was dropped, his hands, feet and throat released.

"Manny!" His father's voice rang in his ears and the man caught him before he hit the ground. Manny wretched and gasped for air. "Mijo! Are you all right?!"

The boy nodded, though not opening his eyes.

"Rodolfo!" It was Grandpapi, too! "Is he bueno?!"

"I don't know, papi! I don't know how long he was hung-!" And suddenly his father moved to the side. Manny felt tiny pieces of sidewalk rain down on him and his father gasp.

Opening his eyes, the boy was looking up at his father. Blurry but just for a moment, the form of a shadowy tentacles rose above the man's head. Manny couldn't form the words to warn him. Just as that tentacle crashed down on Rodolfo, a sinister and bright red line cut through the shadow with the same buzz of electricity and roar of flames. The tentacle hissed and died. By that time, Rodolfo whirled around. Manny saw Alejandra Marengo behind them, holding a familiar looking red-energy whip. The woman flicked her wrist and more tentacles were instantly fried. With one pass of Silverwolf's signature weapon and it seemed that the whole road was momentarily clear of tentacles.

Now that there was no black mass to hinder his sight, Manny spotted Frida, Dr. Chipotle Jr. and the Titanium Titan. All were still alive but it was clear that this was a fight they could not win.

"_Alejandra_!" The Titan's voice carried over the din. Everyone turned to see a very miffed ex-sidekick glaring at his girlfriend. "I **TOLD** you to stay where you _couldn't get hurt_!"

Alejandra let that energy whip fall to the ground as she returned the Titan's glare.

"I'm not going to hide while you guys take care of **MY** mess!" She spat back. The Titan gritted his crooked teeth.

"You don't have superpowers _anymore_, chica!" He snarled. "You're a sitting-!"

And then another wave of skeleton banditos hit everyone. Rodolfo was jumped from behind and thrown to the ground; Manny still in his arms. White Pantera grunted and pulled his son out of his arms.

"Manny! _RUN_!" Rodolfo choked out before his face was slammed to the sidewalk by a skeleton. Manny's breath hitched in his throat as he was flung back into his nightmares.

_He couldn't lose his father_! As the skeleton banditos swarmed, adrenaline and fury raged through the teen's body. Suddenly glowing with a bright green incandescence, Manny was overrun by the mystical Tiger Spirit. Eyes shinning bright green with this mighty power, the boy now had the ability to save his friends and family. The teen super opened his claws and gave a thunderous El Tigre roar.

Skeleton banditos and tentacles were instantly disintegrated simply by the massive sound. With all tentacles and skeletons gone, everyone stopped and watched the young boy. Manny crouched and put all he had into this jump. Sailing into the sky, El Tigre had a bone to pick with the giant shadow creature puppeting this fight.

Not even a second into the sky and Manny saw the enormous shadow standing over the city. And he didn't' go unnoticed by the massive evil. The shadow flexed and produced mammoth claws. El Tigre accepted the fight. Still glowing with the Tiger Spirit, the thirteen-year-old hero sped toward the shadow and they met with a violent clash.

Plunged his claws into its inky body, Manny heard the shadowy alien cry out in pain. The shadow creature screamed as the teen's claws took chunks of its body away from it. Swiping at the awesomely powerful teen, the inky alien attempted to swat him away. But whatever of its body touched Manny, pieces of it were shredded with his metal claws. With every slash of El Tigre's glowing green claws, he took huge amounts of shadow. But… it never seemed to grow smaller or weaker as he remembered. Last time… he had acid guacamole in this fight.

Suddenly, a huge tentacle struck him from the side. Pain never registered but the boy's concentration was broken. The green light of the mystical Tiger Spirit faded. The teen was caught by the huge shadowy enemy. Its lithe, stretchy body moving like a ribbon and suddenly El Tigre was staring into its sinister purple eyes. Manny gulped as the alien's massive hand moved over him. But it lingered; the alien's huge purple eyes boring into his. Then its eyes narrowed and that chilled Manny's spine.

And unexpectedly the giant shadow jerked as if it was struck by something.

Even from across the city, the giant shadow creature instantly froze. It felt her touch, it felt her presence. Alejandra. The monstrous alien shadow's lithe body whirled around and it stared in the direction of the woman. The evil creature wanted to deny its connection with Alejandra but it felt a pull downward, toward her.

Down on the battlefield, Alejandra held her hand to a tentacle. She swallowed her fear and gave the alien a simple touch. Looking around, she saw that the tentacles and banditos around them had become motionless. And then, with a fast wind, the tentacles retreated. The skeleton banditos stood quietly and gave everyone the opportunity to fight free. Alejandra stood silent, though. She didn't know what would happen as soon as she revealed her presence to the alien. Something told her it was going to get worse.

And all of a sudden… the air around them felt icy. Then the alien revealed itself. Inky shadow filled the ground around their feet, seemingly bleeding as it seeped toward Alejandra. Alejandra watched the black inkiness pool in front of her. The darkness then flowed upwards until it formed the shape of a lithe shadow with purple eyes. The alien glared at its host, arms, hands and claws forming from its black body.

Alejandra's green eyes were wide as her breath caught. She knew the alien well enough to know that it was furious. And as if to drive the hopelessness further, the creature reached within itself and pulled out Manny. Gasping, everyone watched as the big shadow held the coughing boy in its claws.

"Manny!" Frida cried her hands clapped to her trembling mouth.

"You nasty, black… _moco_!" Manny writhed as his arms and legs were lashed motionless. This wriggling only drew himself attention.

Silently, the alien opened its claws and poised them, ready to sink into the boy's body and tear out the last of his essence.

"Stop!" It was Alejandra. The alien craned upwards and narrowed its eyes threateningly at the woman.

The living shadow thrust Manny to the ground before throwing him, never taking its sights off of its host. The teen flew out of sight and a loud crash was heard. Manny was out of the alien's grip at least. Now Alejandra watched as the alien symbiote grew and trembled with anger. It was nearly on her when a blast of liquid silver metal pierced the shadow's head.

"Get AWAY from her, you _cosa sin valor_!" The Titanium Titan blasted, yanking his liquid metal sword upwards, rending the alien's head. But the attack did nothing to hinder the alien's anger; the ex-sidekick only got its attention.

The big shadow slowly turned as its head regained its shape. It glared absolute animosity toward the only man that stood between it and Alejandra's heart. Spreading its claws, the alien dove at the Titan, instantly overtaking him. But it didn't want his essence; it only wanted to tear him limb from limb. The alien thrust a tentacle to the Titan's side, instantly inflicting injury. The man let out a yell of pain before the shadow grasped his head with both of its dark hands. It would break his neck before it would rend his head from his body.

"_Frida! __**Smash**__ the guitar_!" It heard Alejandra nearly scream. The alien shadow jerked its head upwards as horror came onto its featureless face.

The blue-haired teen nodded and pulled the mystical guitar from her back.

_NO_!

The alien dropped the Titanium Titan and thrust out its hand. It was at that moment that the skeleton banditos obeyed their master's command and began to move again. Frida rose the guitar above her head and was about to strike it to the cement when it was snatched out of her hands. Spinning, she saw a skeleton bandito had stolen the mystical instrument and held it above its undead head. Just then a laser blast struck the skeleton in the head. The bandito fell to pieces and Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s voice was heard.

"GET IT!" The ten-year-old mad scientist shouted. And there was a free-for-all scramble after Sartana's Mystical Guitar.

Skeleton banditos and supers clamored for the instrument. White Pantera darted into the fray and grabbed it from the pile of bones while taking Frida in his other arm. The superhero dug his heels into the cement and used his super speed to dart away from the sidewalk. Dozens of banditos mobbed where they were standing just half a second ago.

Rodolfo came to a stop as a wall of shadow blocked him from running any further. The hero swallowed as skeletons rushed toward him. Then he spotted his father.

"Papi!" And he cranked back his arm, with Frida and the mystic instrument in it. "Catch!"

Puma Loco rushed forward as White Pantera threw the girl and guitar. The mech suit caught both as Rodolfo was swarmed again.

"Break it Frida!" Grandpapi spat out, letting the girl to the ground. And then he was swatted away by a big tentacle.

Frida's eyes came to the alien shadow. It didn't look so happy as it produced another tentacle. This was the last chance she'd get. Throwing the guitar to the ground, she raised her boot to smash it in. Unfortunately, a bandito wrapped its bony arms around her before she could. Jerked upwards, Frida could no longer reach the guitar.

"NO!" The girl cried, kicking. The alien shadow relaxed its tentacles and seemed to smile.

It appeared hopeless as a ribbon of darkness coiled around the mystic guitar and pulled it into the air. The alien turned and looked at Alejandra, a mocking expression could nearly be seen on its featureless face.

Then the alien felt something hit the guitar. Craning around, it saw El Tigre's grapple claws sunk deep into the mystic instrument. The teen hero was not far behind. An exhausted by satisfied smile was over Manny's dirty and blood flecked face.

"Last year…" The boy grinned as he spat a mix of blood and saliva to the ground, "I thought you learned your lesson."

With a flex of his hand, Sartana's Mystic Guitar instantly buckled and broke. In a hiss of dissipating black magic, all of the skeleton banditos disintegrated and the alien's most powerful essence was gone. The shadowy creature shrieked in frustration as it felt a huge chunk of strength taken from it. Snarling, the alien shrunk and fell forward, trembling. All that power… gone.

Out of the tops of its purple eyes, it saw Alejandra over at the Titanium Titan's side. Rage flared through its black body.

Alejandra knew her boyfriend was hurt badly; she could see the skin of his side turning a dark reddish-purple color. He was bleeding internally and needed help immediately.

"Mi amore." Alejandra whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "I'm so… sorry."

Through the blinding pain ravaging his insides, the Titan locked eyes with her.

"Don't worry, Alejandra. I'll be all right. I'm the Titanium Titan." He managed a cocky smirk. Alejandra couldn't hold back a sob.

"Alejandra!" They suddenly heard Rodolfo's voice. "_LOOK OUT_!"

Shadow claws wrapped around the woman's head and jerked her off of the Titan. The shadow creature would not have betrayal and defiance. Alejandra was spun and came face to face with the alien. Its selfish and evil purple eyes asked one question… "_Why_". Alejandra scowled.

"Let GO of me!" She fumed, trying to tear the alien's claws from her hair. "You terrible MONSTER!"

The shadow creature merely grasped her firmer. It had enough of her disobedience and was going to teach her a lesson in being a slave. But it heard a hum of electricity before it felt something red hot sink into its side. Reeling, the alien was horrified to see that Alejandra had activated that energy whip and used it. She flicked her wrist and the shadow's arm was sliced off. Alejandra was free.

"I only wanted to HELP people!" The woman snarled, cranking back her arm and lashing the alien with the whip. "And YOU used me to HURT people!"

The shadowy creature's inky body seared and smoked with every stroke of that energy whip.

"You said you were my _friend_! You _said_ you _**cared**_ about me! I TRUSTED you!" Alejandra took another chunk from the alien's back. "You twisted, _wicked_ creature! _You've_ made me into a villain! I _never_ should have listened to you! **I HATE YOU**!"

With those words, the shadow alien suddenly coiled upwards, tackling its host. As Alejandra and the alien tumbled, the energy whip flying out of her hand. The powerful weapon flew through the air and sliced through a piece of unstable building, instantly lighting it on fire. The mangled mess of metal, concrete, wood and fire creaked as it began to break away from the crumbling building. Alejandra came to a stop on her back and the alien pounced off of her. The living shadow righted and was ready to rip out her essence for this most heinous of treacheries.

But at that moment, the flaming debris finally separated from the building. It fell toward Alejandra. Seconds passed like days as tons of wreckage fell to the street. Alejandra was on her back and unable to move quick enough to save herself. She looked up just to see the fire and concrete speeding toward her. She couldn't be saved. In a plume of smoke and a thunderous groan of metal on concrete, the building collapsed over the woman, burying her.

A wave of dust and smoke engulfed the street and supers. A mere second passed before they realized that Alejandra was under the mass of smoldering building. Bringing their eyes upward, they saw the pile of debris and the distraught shadowy alien zip on top of it. It began digging, desperately trying to save its beloved host. Hoisting boulder after boulder, iron beam after iron beam, the powerful alien creature finally uncovered the woman.

Pulling the motionless female from the wreckage, one look over the alien's purple eyes and all could see that it was cut to the core. It carefully touched Alejandra's face as its inky body began to rise with emotion. It passed a finger through the woman's body and listened. Nothing was heard.

Suddenly a cuff from a liquid metal mace got the alien off of her.

"ALEJANDRA!" The Titanium Titan was on his feet and rushed to his girlfriend's side. "Alejandra?!"

She was mangled; her beautiful face covered in ash and dirt, her limbs were in unnatural positions and she wasn't breathing. Glancing over his shoulder, the Titan looked to the stunned Riveras.

"HELP! She's HURT!" He called out. Rodolfo was snapped out of his stupor and rushed to his ex-sidekick's side. "Alejandra?! Alejandra! Come back! Don't die on me!"

The Titanium Titan's pathetic cries were suddenly drowned out as the sky cleared and the essences of all those attacked by the alien were restored. Off to the side, the alien shadow slinked away, pitifully oozing into a storm drain and disappearing into the darkness. Ambulance sirens were then heard in the far distance and it was a mournful wail to such a rotten day.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


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